P1 registration is changing in 2027: is living within 1km of a popular school still worth the premium?
Is buying within 1km of a popular primary school still worth it?
Less so for 12 schools. From the 2027 P1 registration exercise, Phase 2C grows from 40 to 60 places at schools taking 180 or more pupils, and at 12 popular schools half of those places go to children living beyond 2km. Living near still helps at other schools, so compare the premium you pay for proximity.
For many Singaporean families, "within 1km of a good primary school" has been one of the most important and most expensive lines on the home-search checklist. On 10 September 2026, the Ministry of Education announced changes to Primary 1 registration that will change that calculation for some of the most sought-after schools.
What's changing
The changes apply from the 2027 P1 Registration Exercise, which is for children entering Primary 1 in 2028.
- More places in Phase 2C. Phase 2C is the phase for children with no prior connection to the school. At schools with an intake of 180 or more, reserved places in this phase rise from 40 to 60.
- A two-track Phase 2C at 12 schools. These are popular schools with relatively little public housing (under 40%) within 2km. At these schools, half of the Phase 2C places will go to children living within 2km, and half to children living beyond 2km.
- Citizens keep their priority over Permanent Residents.
The 12 schools are Anglo-Chinese School (Junior), Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), CHIJ (Katong) Primary, Methodist Girls' School (Primary), Nanyang Primary, Ngee Ann Primary, Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary, Raffles Girls' Primary, Singapore Chinese Girls' Primary, St. Margaret's School (Primary), Tanjong Katong Primary and Tao Nan School. MOE will review the list as housing around the schools changes, and ACS (Primary) will leave the scheme after it moves to Tengah in 2030.
What it means for "school-zone" property
Proximity still helps, but it's no longer the only route in. Under the current system, living within 1km gives you priority over applicants from further away in balloting. For the 12 schools, a whole track of places will now be reserved for families living beyond 2km. That means a family in a more affordable area further away will have a real chance of getting a place.
For buyers, this has two practical effects:
- The school premium near these 12 schools may soften over time. Part of the price of a condo near Nanyang or Tao Nan has been paying for better odds in the ballot. If families from further away can get in too, the case for paying well above nearby comparable homes becomes weaker.
- Schools not on the list are unaffected except for the larger Phase 2C. For most popular schools, distance still works the way it always has.
Should you still buy near a popular school?
Here's how I'd think about it:
- Don't buy for one school alone. Balloting is never guaranteed, even within 1km. Make sure the home works for your family if you don't get the place.
- Check your timing. If your child enters P1 in 2027 or earlier, the current rules apply. The new rules start with the 2027 exercise for 2028 entry.
- Compare the premium. Look at what similar homes cost just outside 1km, or 2km for the 12 schools. If you're paying a large premium mainly for proximity, the new rules reduce what that premium buys you.
- Think about resale. Family buyers will keep valuing school proximity, just less intensely for these 12 schools. Your future buyer pool matters as much as your own needs.
The bottom line
The 1km rule isn't going away. But for a dozen of Singapore's most popular schools, living further away is now a real alternative. Families who have been stretching their budgets to buy near these schools now have more flexibility.