Primary 1 registration: 31 schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2B
Elisha Tushara
The Straits Times
July 23, 2026
Thirty-one primary schools will conduct balloting for places in Phase 2B, the latest stage in the Primary 1 registration process in 2026.
These 31 schools are among 33 that are oversubscribed, meaning they received more applications than places available.
Nanyang Primary School in Bukit Timah is the most oversubscribed in Phase 2B, with 52 children vying for 20 spots.
It is followed by Ai Tong School in Bishan and Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School in Bukit Batok, with 51 and 46 applicants respectively, vying for 20 spots in each school.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) updated the latest registration figures on its website on July 23 for Phase 2B, which ended on July 21 at 4.30pm. Results for this phase will be out on July 27.
MOE said that 81.6 per cent of the schools will not be conducting balloting.
Phase 2B is for parents with strong school or community ties – those who volunteer at the school, are endorsed by an affiliated church or clan, or are endorsed as active community leaders. At this stage of the exercise in 2025, 29 schools conducted balloting.
Of the 31 schools conducting balloting in 2026, 22 will do so for children who are Singapore citizens residing within 1km of the school.
Five will conduct balloting for children who are Singapore citizens residing between 1km and 2km from the school, while four will do so for those living more than 2km away.
The remaining two oversubscribed schools will not hold a ballot as they have enough vacancies for all applicants in priority categories.
These schools are Fairfield Methodist School (Primary) and Canossa Catholic Primary School.
In oversubscribed schools, priority admission is given to children in this order:
- Singapore citizen children living within 1km of the school
- Singapore citizen children living between 1km and 2km from the school
- Singapore citizen children living more than 2km from the school
- Permanent resident (PR) children living within 1km of the school
- PR children living between 1km and 2km from the school
- PR children living more than 2km from the school
Each school has 20 places reserved for Phase 2B and 40 for Phase 2C.
These places are set aside for children with no sibling currently in the school, or with no prior connection to it.
All 179 schools will have vacancies in Phase 2C.
From 2022, MOE has reserved 60 places for phases 2B and 2C at the start of the Primary 1 registration exercise to ensure schools remain accessible to as many children as possible.
One-third of any remaining vacancies from earlier phases will be allocated to Phase 2B and two-thirds to Phase 2C.
MOE also noted there is a cap on the intake of PR children in a few schools during phases 2C and 2C Supplementary.
There are 182 primary schools in Singapore, with 179 open for registration in 2026.
Kranji Primary School will not be admitting Primary 1 pupils from 2024 to 2026, ahead of its planned move to Tengah in 2028.
Townsville Primary School and Damai Primary School will also stop Primary 1 admissions from 2025 to 2027, as they prepare to relocate in 2029 to Sembawang and Tampines North, respectively.
Registration for Phase 2C, which is open to children with no prior links to the schools, will open at 9am on July 28, and close at 4.30pm on July 30. Results for this phase will be out on Aug 11.
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