{"id":10718,"date":"2022-06-27T16:00:58","date_gmt":"2022-06-27T08:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/blog\/singapore\/?p=10718"},"modified":"2024-10-17T18:12:48","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T10:12:48","slug":"top-tips-popular-primary-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.99.co\/singapore\/insider\/top-tips-popular-primary-schools\/","title":{"rendered":"Top tips for getting your child into popular primary schools"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As we are currently in the thick of the Primary 1 registration<\/a> season that happens every year at the end of June, parents with children entering primary school next year are feeling the heat. A hot topic of conversation often revolves around debating which the best and most popular primary schools are.<\/p>\n

Singaporean parents are the only people we know who take a few months (or even an entire year) off work to coach their children during the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) year.<\/p>\n

Getting one\u2019s child into the best local primary schools is not as simple as queuing overnight at an Apple store\u2019s launch of a new product \u2013 the first in through the door does not translate to a place in the school.<\/p>\n

These days, getting a place in popular primary schools is like winning the lottery \u2013 literally \u2013 as parents and their child either jump with joy or break down in tears after a balloting exercise.<\/p>\n

While the Ministry of Education (MOE) reserves 40 places in each school for children who are not the offspring of alumni of the school, etc., these precious places are usually fewer than the number of children applying to be enrolled.<\/p>\n

One crucial factor to remember in order to get ahead in this race is where you live.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"primary<\/p>\n

Why does it matter where I live?<\/b><\/h2>\n

When a school is \u201coversubscribed\u201d i.e. there are more applicants than places in the school, balloting will be conducted in any of the phases from Phase 2A onwards.<\/p>\n

Living within 1 to 2 km of the school will give your child a higher chance of being admitted. Here’s how priority admission is given:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Singapore Citizens (SC) living within 1km of the school.<\/li>\n
  2. SCs living between 1km and 2km of the school.<\/li>\n
  3. SCs living outside 2km of the school.<\/li>\n
  4. Permanent Residents (PR) living within 1km of the school.<\/li>\n
  5. PRs living between 1km and 2km of the school.<\/li>\n
  6. PRs living outside 2km of the school.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Tenants who live within 1 to 2 km of the school can also use the address to register their child. For tenants, before you rent the property, it is important to inform the landlord that you intend to use the address for the application to the school.<\/p>\n

    You want to avoid a situation where the landlord is also using the same address as you to apply for places at a school for their child.<\/p>\n

    If there are not enough vacancies, balloting will be conducted. For further clarification, check out MOE\u2019s website<\/a> where they lay out different balloting scenarios.<\/p>\n

    I purchased a flat but have not moved in yet<\/h3>\n

    Parents who bought a completed property which the sale has not yet completed, or a property which is still under construction (within the 1 to 2 km radius of the school) can still apply to register their child using the new home address.<\/p>\n

    You may need to email the following documents to the school to prove that you have committed to the property purchase:<\/p>\n