You’re probably anxious about your child entering formal education. Especially if it’s your first child, the nerves are undeniable.

Primary school education is compulsory for all Singaporean Citizens under the Compulsory Education Act, and lasts for six years — typically from when the child is 7 to 12 years old.

Before they embark on their educational journey, parents will first have to enroll them in a Primary School.

This registration process may seem confusing from choosing the school for your child to actually getting the school of your preferred choice. This article will provide you with the necessary information and links to help you with your registration process.

happy lauging children in schoo luniform

Primary 1 Registration 2021

If your child is born from 2 January 2015 to 1 January 2016, you are eligible to apply.

The application period is usually from 1 July to 30 October 2020.

**An important thing to note is that Primary 1 registration is NOT first-come-first-serve. There will not be a priority given to early applicants whether through online or in-person registration.

How does the registration process work?

With 6 different phases in the registration process, things can be a little confusing at first glance. What are the different phases for and at which phase am I eligible to join the registration process?

PHASE	You can apply if…	Registration date
1	You have another child studying in your preferred school. i.e Your elder son is studying in the school you want your younger daughter to attend. **All students registered in this phase will be guaranteed a place in the school.	1 July 2020 9am to 4 July 2020 4:30pm
2A (1)	EITHER: You are a former member of your preferred school and have signed up as a member of the alumni association before 1 July 2020. i.e You graduated from X Primary School, is a part of X Primary School’s alumni association and now you want your child to attend X Primary school. OR: You are a member of the Advisory or Management Committee of your preferred school.	7 July 2020 9am to 4:30pm
2A (2)	EITHER: You or another child of yours have previously studied at your preferred school. OR: You are a staff member of your preferred school. OR: Your child is currently in an MOE kindergarten located within your preferred school. Eg. MOE Kindergarten @ Pei Tong Primary School.	14 July 2020 9am to 15 July 2020 4:30pm
2B	EITHER: You are a parent volunteer at your preferred school before 1 July 2020 AND completing at least 40 hours before 30 June 2021. OR: You are a member endorsed by the church or clan directly connected to the school. OR: You are endorsed as an active community leader. **20 spots in each school will be reserved for this phase.	23 July 2020 9am to 24 July 2020 4:30pm
2C	Your child is eligible for Primary 1 but has not been registered yet. **20 spots in each school will be reserved for this phase.	3 August 2020 9am to 5 August 2020 4:30pm
2C Supplementary	Your child is eligible for Primary 1 but has not been registered after phase 2C.	20 August 2020 9am to 21 August 2020 4:30pm

If you are still unclear, you can click on this link, scroll to the bottom of the web page and check your child’s registration phase by answering a few questions.

What are the documents needed and what is the application process? Click on this link for more details and a list of documents you will require according to the phases.

hand droping a piece of paper in a box

What is balloting and how does it work?

Balloting occurs when the school is oversubscribed. This means that the number of applicants exceeds the number of spots available in the school. Balloting can occur during any of the phases from 2A (1) to 2C.

The balloting is computerised and done centrally by MOE. All applicants going through the balloting process will be given equal chances for admission. However, there is priority admission based on the distance of the child’s home from the school.

The priority will be as follows:

Singapore Citizens (SC) living within 1km of the school.
SC living between 1km and 2km of the school.
SC living outside 2km of the school.
Permanent Residents (PRs) living within 1km of the school.
PRs living between 1km and 2km of the school.
PR living outside 2km of the school.

To find out if your child has to go through the balloting process, you can click here. It also updates you on the number of vacancies for each school.

For more information on balloting you can check this website.

The address used for the child’s registration process has to be the address that is reflected in his or her parent’s NRIC. If your child’s grandparents are staying closer to the area and you would like to use their address for registration, it is possible. However, you will have to fulfill the criteria listed on this website.

The priority admission might tempt some parents to move to a closer location to their preferred school. Keep in mind that you will have to stay in that house for at least 30 months before the primary one registration to be given the priority.

screenshot of Onemap web page

Source

How do I know the distance of my property from my preferred school?

There is a website that allows you to check the distance! Using Singapore Land Authority’s Onemap School Query Service, you will be able to find out.

After you’ve entered the website,

Select ‘Services’
Select ‘School Query’
Click on the ‘Find Schools near a building’ OR ‘Find Buildings near a school’
Enter your residential address in the ‘Find Location’ box and click ‘Go’ OR enter the name of the school.
Click on the desired building on the map. OneMap will generate a report with a list of schools which are within 1 km and between 1 to 2 km from the selected building or show buildings within a 1 km radius (red) or 2 km radius (blue) of the school.

How will I be informed of the results?

These are the results dates for different phases.

Phase	Result Date
1	-
2A (1)	13 July 2020
2A (2)	22 July 2020
2B	30 July 2020
2C	17 August 2020
2C Supplementary	31 August 2020

You will receive an SMS regarding the school your child has been posted to. If you have yet to receive a SMS by noon, you can call your preferred school to check.

With all these information, you are ready to start your registration for your child's Primary School. Make sure to take note of the important dates and documents needed to be submitted. All the best!

Academic Guide for Parents

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