For many families shopping for a landed home in District 10 or 11, the nearby primary school is part of the decision. On 10 September 2026, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced changes to the Primary 1 (P1) registration framework that take effect from the 2027 P1 Registration Exercise, for children starting P1 in 2028. Here is what changes, and what stays the same, for families who live or plan to live in a landed home.
What MOE is changing
There are two changes, both in Phase 2C, the phase open to any child not yet registered in a primary school, whether or not the family has a prior connection to the school.
- More reserved Phase 2C places. MOE will raise the number of places reserved for Phase 2C from 40 to 60 in each school, except schools with a smaller P1 intake (fewer than 180 students). Phase 2B reserves stay at 20. MOE says the extra 20 places come from the earlier registration phases.
- A Two-Track Scheme in Phase 2C for 12 schools. These are schools in neighbourhoods where public housing makes up less than 40% of dwelling units within 2km. Phase 2C places are split equally between those living within 2km of the school and those living beyond 2km, and there is no home-school distance priority within each track.
MOE explains that where a school sits in an area with much less public housing than the national average, the current distance priority "may not substantially broaden access" for children from different backgrounds. Its press release notes that about 8 in 10 of Singapore's resident population live in public housing.
The 12 schools on the Two-Track list
According to MOE, the Two-Track Scheme will apply to these schools from the 2027 exercise:
- Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
- Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)
- CHIJ (Katong) Primary
- Methodist Girls' School (Primary)
- Nanyang Primary School
- Ngee Ann Primary School
- Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
- Raffles Girls' Primary School
- Singapore Chinese Girls' Primary School
- St. Margaret's School (Primary)
- Tanjong Katong Primary School
- Tao Nan School
MOE says it will review the list periodically but does not expect frequent changes. If your preferred school is not on the list, the usual distance rules still apply in Phase 2C.
How the Two-Track split works
MOE's worked example uses a school with 60 Phase 2C places, split 30 and 30 between the two tracks. Suppose 65 Singapore Citizen (SC) applicants register: 40 live within 2km and 25 beyond. All 25 in the beyond-2km track get a place, and the 5 unused places flow to the within-2km track, which then has 35 places for 40 applicants. Those 40 ballot for 35 places.
| Track | Places | SC applicants | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Within 2km | 30 (+5 flowing over) | 40 | Ballot for 35 places |
| Beyond 2km | 30 | 25 | All admitted; 5 places flow to the other track |
Singapore Citizens continue to have priority over Permanent Residents under the scheme. If a Phase 2C number cannot be split evenly, the extra place goes to the within-2km track.
What does not change for a landed-home family
The rest of the framework stays as it is. Under the current rules, when a school has more applicants than places, priority goes in this order: SCs within 1km, SCs between 1km and 2km, SCs beyond 2km, then PRs by the same distance bands. The Two-Track Scheme replaces that distance ranking only within Phase 2C at the 12 listed schools.
The address rules matter most if you are buying or building:
- New property. You can register using the address of a not-yet-completed property you have bought, but the vacant or delivery possession date must be within 2 years of your child's entry into P1. MOE does not accept the probable completion date. For a child registering in 2026, that meant a date no later than 31 December 2028. For private property you submit a copy of the original Sale and Purchase agreement.
- Resale property. You can use the address of a resale home you are purchasing, with the exercised Option to Purchase and the buyer's Stamp Duty Certificate.
- 30-month stay. A child who gets in through home-school distance must live at that address for at least 30 months. For a new property the clock starts when you move in; for a resale property it starts at the child's P1 school term. If the requirement is not met, MOE can transfer the child to another school at its sole discretion.
- Distance is measured to the building outline. MOE bases the distance on the building outline in the plan submitted by the project's Qualified Person, and it can change year to year. MOE advises checking the OneMap School Query in the year your child registers.
Practical takeaways
If your child starts P1 in 2028 or later, check whether your target school is on the Two-Track list before you let it drive a purchase. Living very close to one of those schools may no longer guarantee an edge in Phase 2C, while families beyond 2km have half of the Phase 2C places set aside for them. Priority for earlier phases, such as sibling and alumni routes, continues, though MOE confirms the extra Phase 2C reserve comes out of the earlier phases' share.
Also line up your timeline with the law: a landed purchase brings stamp duty and, for some buyers, ABSD, which we cover in our guide to stamp duty on a landed home. For a look at the schools in the area, see our overview of Bukit Timah schools. Families who bought in the first Anagram collection at Kheam Hock Road, now fully sold, faced the same school-distance questions.
Aurum Land is currently previewing two freehold detached bungalows at Anagram Homes, Tan Boon Chong Avenue in District 10, with estimated completion in 4Q 2027. The project overview on New Launches Condo sets out the specifications. WhatsApp Patrick to discuss floor plans, pricing and private viewings.
This article is for general information only and is not financial, investment or education advice. Rules are from the sources below as at their publication dates; confirm current details with MOE before you register.
