Schools · The 1km Rule · P1 Priority
In Singapore, home-to-school distance decides your child's Primary One balloting priority. Learn how the registration phases and the 1km / 2km rule work — then search any primary school to see the condos within 1km.
The Guide
The MOE Primary One (P1) exercise fills each school in phases. As places fill up, priority is decided first by citizenship, then by how close you live to the school. Living within 1km gives the strongest priority when balloting happens.
For children with a sibling already studying in the school. Places are almost always guaranteed.
Children of alumni, School Advisory / Management Committee members, or staff.
Parent volunteers, church/clan connections, or active community leaders tied to the school.
The phase most families rely on. If oversubscribed, priority follows citizenship, then home-to-school distance.
Distance decides the ballotFor children not yet placed after 2C, applying to schools with remaining vacancies.
Permanent Residents and international students, subject to remaining places.
The Distance Rule
Highest priority in a ballot. In popular schools, this band often fills the open phase on its own.
Second priority. Considered after all within-1km applicants are placed.
Placed last. In a sought-after school, a home beyond 2km can miss out entirely.
MOE uses the shortest distance from the school boundary to your registered home address (based on the building outline) — a fixed 1km / 2km radius. Buying the right home locks this in.
Note: children admitted on distance priority must keep living at the registered address for at least 30 months from the start of the P1 exercise. Source: MOE — how distance affects admission.
Instant Check
Start typing any primary school. We'll show the private condominiums whose front door falls within a 1km straight-line radius — the strongest P1 priority band.
Estimated from map coordinates for guidance only — MOE measures from the school boundary to your home address. Always confirm the official 1km / 2km status at onemap.gov.sg/school before making decisions.
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