Since education is one of the prioritised basic needs for Singaporean citizens, the government always make sure that each child will receive fair treatment. A comprehensive primary school selection process will be conducted this year by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to assure all children will be given an equal chance for admission under the balloting process. This will be conducted by MOE’s computerised system.
What is the primary school selection process this year?
The MOE spearheaded the Primary 1 (P1) registration in 2022 that will start on June 29. It is process to register your child for mainstream primary schools in the following year which is 2023. It has different phases to follow in accordance to your child’s eligibility.
Phase 1 – For those children who have older siblings that are currently enrolled at the same school they will register.
Phase 2A – For those children (1) who have parents or siblings that were alumni of the school; (2) parents who are members of the School Advisory or Management Committee; (3) parents are staff members of the school; or (4) they are from the MOE Kindergarten which is located also within the primary school they are going to register.
Phase 2B – This phase is for children who have (1) parents who are active community leaders; (2) parent school volunteers; and (3) affiliated with clan associations and churches.
Phase 2C – For other children who are eligible but not yet registered to any school.
Phase 2C Supplementary – This phase is for children who did not succeed in the earlier phase or those who are still ineligible.
While primary school education is compulsory for all Singapore Citizens (SC), the P1 registration process is also applicable to Permanent Residents (PR) and international students. However there are additional considerations: (1) If your child is a Singaporean living overseas, (2) if your child has special educational needs, (3) if your child is assessed to be not ready or unsuitable for P1, and (4) if your child is an international student.
How to check if your child is eligible for P1 registration?
You can register your child in primary school registration if he or she is born between 2 January 2016 and 1 January 2017 (both dates inclusive).
Or simply go to this site to insert your child’s birthday: https://www.moe.gov.sg/primary/p1-registration
What if my child failed to pass the selection process?
If the child did not successfully pass any phase in the registration exercise, you can still register the child in the next phase that they are eligible for. For Phase 2 Supplementary unsuccessful registration, they will be posted in a school that has an available vacancy. The result from this will be announced through an SMS.
Primary schools to choose before P1 registration:
Choosing a primary school is the first key step before registration. Make sure you have chosen the best and suitable primary school for your child. If you haven’t, here are our recommendations to help you decide:
Primary school
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About them
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Ai Tong School
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Since its establishment in the year 1912 this school has flourished in many areas of academics. They have been introducing new programs, especially in sports and arts. Ai Tong students distinguished themselves in sports, the performing arts, and a variety of other academic and non-academic endeavours.
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CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School (Primary Section)
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The CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School (Primary) has a character education that is anchored on a 3-E process: Equip, Expose, and Enact. All components of CCE – CCA, NE, VIA and Student Leadership – focus on equipping our pupils with skills and knowledge, exposing them to different experiences.
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Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)
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The Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) has four (4) strategic thrusts such as (1) Achieving Excellence and Engagement in Learning, (2) Building Character and Leadership, (3) Developing Staff Competencies, and (4) Embracing Collaborative Partnerships.
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Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
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A school that develops a caring bicultural environment for its bilingual students while serving God and their nation. They encourage their students to persevere especially in times of challenges.
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Rulang Primary School
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The school was founded in the year 1930 and has been nurturing students to be trusted countrymen with sincerity. They also made sure that each individual is enforced with strength to face their futures.
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Is there a priority admission under the primary school selection process?
If your chosen primary school has more registrants than vacancies, priority admission will be given based on your child’s citizenship and the Home-School Distance category, which is in turn based on the address used for registration.
Priority admission is given in this order:
- The child must be a Singaporean citizen that is currently living within 1 kilometre of the school.
- Singaporean citizen children who are currently living within 1 kilometre up to 2 kilometres of the school.
- Singaporean citizen children that are currently residing outside the school within 2 kilometres.
- Those who are Permanent Residents that are living within 1 kilometre of the school.
- Permanent residents who are currently residing between 1 kilometre and 2 kilometres of the school.
- Permanent residents living outside the school within 2 kilometres.
How can you prepare your kid for the 1st day in school?
It will be several months before the actual primary school intake. However, preparation is always the key! If you are a first-time mom, here’s a quick guide to prepare your little one for his or her 1st-day fight in school!
- You can visit the school with your child before the 1st day of classes starts so that he/she can familiarise himself/herself with the environment, whether the school is a Catholic school or a Christian School.
- Talk to your kid about socialisation with other people, especially with the teachers, classmates, and other staff he/she may meet in school.
- Be your child’s first teacher, before the school formally starts try to read a book for him/her or even teach him/her how to write.
- Share stories about your first day and how fun it is to build memories in school.
- Complete all the things needed in school including backpacks, notebooks, pens, and many more.
- Always lift your child’s confidence by giving praise with words of encouragement.
Want to know more about the primary school phases and registration dates? Read: What are the Phases for a Primary School (P1) Registration in Singapore 2022?