​

MOE is changing the Primary 1 registration framework from 2027, and one of the biggest changes affects how distance from school is used for 12 popular primary schools.

​

At first glance, this may sound like the end of the traditional “1km from school” property strategy. But for homebuyers, the change may be less about making proximity irrelevant and more about changing where the important distance boundaries lie.

 

For 12 schools, 2km becomes the key boundary

​

Under the new Two-Track Scheme, the 12 selected schools will have two Phase 2C tracks: within 2km and beyond 2km. Importantly, there will be no further distance priority within each track.

​

That means a home 500m from the school and another 1.8km away would fall into the same ≤2km track. But a home 1.8km away and one 2.1km away would fall into different tracks.

​

For property buyers, this makes the 2km boundary potentially more important when considering a home near one of these schools.

​

MOE is also increasing the number of places reserved for Phase 2C from 40 to 60 in most schools, giving more children without prior school connections an opportunity to enter these schools.

​

The 12 schools covered by the new scheme are ACS (Junior), ACS (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.

​

So, is the 1km strategy dead?

​

Not necessarily.

​

The new Two-Track Scheme applies specifically to the 12 schools listed by MOE. The announcement does not say that the 1km framework has been removed across all other primary schools, so buyers should not assume that the old distance considerations no longer matter elsewhere.

​

What has changed is that, for these 12 schools, parents may now have a wider geographical area to consider while still remaining within the ≤2km track.

​

What does this mean for property buyers?

​

Rather than simply asking, “Can I buy within 1km of the school?”, buyers may want to look more closely at where the 2km boundary falls and how much property prices differ between homes just inside and just outside that boundary.

​

This could make certain homes between 1km and 2km particularly interesting, especially if they offer a more attractive price or a better-sized property while still remaining within the new ≤2km track.

​

And unlike a tuition programme or a temporary rental, the property itself remains an asset after the P1 registration exercise. A well-located family home can continue to appeal to future buyers who value school access, even after your own children have moved on.

​

The school proximity premium may not be disappearing. It may simply be changing shape.

​

For property buyers, the more useful question could now be:

​

“Where is the most valuable school catchment I can buy into without overpaying?”

​

Source: Ministry of Education, 10 September 2026.

​