From 2027, families eyeing a popular primary school in Singapore may no longer need to relocate within a one-kilometre radius to improve their child’s enrolment chances.

Two-track system replaces distance-based priority

The Ministry of Education will introduce a two-track system for Phase 2C of Primary 1 registration for twelve high-demand schools. Thirty places will be reserved for children living within two kilometres of the school, and another thirty spots for those living farther away.

Within each track, the Home School Distance (HSD) factor will no longer affect ranking. A child living 500 metres from the campus will have the same priority as one living 1.9 kilometres away.

The change applies to schools such as Methodist Girls’ School (Primary), Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School, Singapore Chinese Girls’ Primary School and St. Margaret’s School (Primary). These institutions sit in the Bukit Timah, Marine Parade/Katong and central districts.

Historically, properties inside the one-kilometre zone have been dominated by private homes, with public housing accounting for roughly 40 percent of dwellings within two kilometres. The new policy aims to broaden access beyond the affluent enclave surrounding each school.

Real-estate agents note that families previously narrowed their search to the immediate catchment, often sacrificing unit size to stay affordable. The revised rules could shift that calculus.

One buyer considered an 872-sq-ft three-bedroom flat at Amberwood on Holland Plain because it lies within a kilometre of Methodist Girls’ School. Under the old system, that purchase meant selling a 1,400-sq-ft unit elsewhere.

Now the same buyer might look at a development within two kilometres of the school, where resale prices are lower.

In a separate case, a family in Katong was planning to move because their condo sat more than a kilometre from CHIJ Primary. With the upcoming rule change, the household is within the two-kilometre band, prompting them to reconsider the move.

These anecdotes reflect a broader shift. Properties that once commanded a premium for being inside the one-kilometre bubble may now compete on size, age and amenities rather than proximity alone.

Walkability and traffic conditions are likely to become decisive factors. Parents often weigh the number of major roads to cross and morning-rush travel times more heavily than sheer distance.

Social mixing and community impact

By removing distance as a ranking factor, children from farther neighborhoods will share classrooms with those living nearby, creating a more diverse student body.

Practical considerations for homebuyers

Some households are now re-evaluating relocation plans that were driven by the old distance rule. A family in the Katong district, for example, paused a planned condo sale after learning their current residence falls within the expanded eligibility zone for a sought-after primary school.