This New Primary School Rule Could Change How Much Parents Pay To Live Within 1KM

The rules regarding Home School Distance (HSD) have changed in some Singapore neighbourhoods. 

Under the previous framework, children get higher enrolment priority if they live within one kilometre of a school, those who live a bit further out (up to two kilometres) will come second-in-line – barring other exceptions like siblings, alumni, etc*. Which, if you’re familiar with queues for any limited-edition item, you’ll recognise as code for “may as well give up now.”

*I don’t want to deviate too far into the intricacies of Primary school registration here, but the HSD factor is broadly under Phase 2C of school registration; this is the phase for children without prior ties to the school. 

The problem is that for 12 schools in particular, there have been some concerns that this has the potential to entrench a certain wealth divide:

• Anglo-Chinese School (Junior)
• Anglo-Chinese School (Primary)
• CHIJ (Katong) Primary
• Methodist Girls’ School (Primary)
• Nanyang Primary School
• Ngee Ann Primary School
• Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
• Raffles Girls’ Primary School
• Singapore Chinese Girls’ Primary School
• St. Margaret’s School (Primary)
• Tanjong Katong Primary School
• Tao Nan School

These schools are broadly in the Bukit Timah region, the Marine Parade / Katong region, and within the central district. So you may see the underlying problem here: the residential properties within one kilometre of these schools are far more likely to be private homes, expensive, and occupied by the demographic that considers buying a Lexus an afterthought. Public housing within two-kilometres of these schools is cited to make up around just 40% of housing.

MOE says it periodically reviews the affected schools and areas, since surrounding housing profiles change over time. But these profiles change quite slowly, so changes are likely to be infrequent.

Starting from the 2027 P1 registration exercise, these 12 schools will adopt a two-track system for Phase 2C registration.

Thirty places will be reserved for children living within two kilometres, and another 30 spots for those living farther away. Within each track, HSD won’t determine priority. E.g., there’s no advantage between living within 500 metres and, say, 1.9 kilometres. For the 30 places on the outside track (those beyond two kilometres) distance simply ceases to matter for priority. 

The intention is to widen access and encourage social mixing. Which, by the way, is a way bigger effect than many of us give credit for. It’s not just that students from different socioeconomic strata mix: when children go to the same school, parents and caregivers of those children also mingle. They meet at lunch and breakfast spots, share activities, complain about the same teachers etc.

But from a property perspective, I think the immediate question is whether some parents will now feel compelled to make the same housing compromises.

Previously, a family targeting one of these schools might have narrowed its property search to the one-kilometre radius. This often resulted in compromises on size, due to keeping the quantum affordable. 

Most recently, one of my conversations with a reader involved Amberwood at Holland, a new development on Holland Plain by Sim Lian Group. This particular reader was considering a 872 sq ft three-bedder there, because the project is within one-kilometre of Methodist Girls’ School (MGS). This would have been a significant compromise in space: it meant selling their 1,400+ sq ft unit at an older project.

Perhaps now, they might consider that the Floridian – which is within two-kilometres of MGS – has seen its resale units go for around $100,000 less (we always do these comparisons for new launches, so it’s coincidentally quite useful for those seeking homes near MGS right now).

Another substantial effect, which could follow the Phase 2C tweak, is that some buyers decide they don’t need to move after all.

This recently came up during a conversation with a property agent I was speaking to, who may have to unwind all her recent work. The case she was working on involved a family in the Katong area, who wanted to move from their current condo because it’s over one-kilometre from CHIJ Primary. But since their home is within two kilometres of CHIJ Primary, and their child’s enrolment will be in 2027 (when the rule change takes effect), they’ve begun reconsidering whether the move is necessary.

For sellers, too, I expect similar factors to kick in. Projects that have long commanded a “school premium” for sitting snugly within the one-kilometre radius of these 12 elite institutions might now face greater competition. This will be especially true if a property that’s, say, 1.5 kilometres away has a larger layout, a lower quantum, or newer facilities. Of course, the effect depends greatly on what existing projects are situated another kilometre away.

For projects within the wider two-kilometre radius, I expect the competitive edge now becomes walkability and time. 

Now that the great registration ballot odds are levelled for one and two-kilometres, one key differentiator remains: the actual ease of the journey. 

Singaporeans are obsessed with covered walkways, so I probably don’t need to explain that a continuously sheltered walk matters. But parents also care about details like how many major roads there are to cross, and the transit times during the morning rush. I’m looking at you, Blackmore Drive: this is an MGS issue, where when the dismissal bell rings, the backup of cars trying to filter in and out turns the whole area into a giant parking lot. 

This is a good reason to live near a school but not right next to it. If you’re directly beside the school, even if you don’t have children there, you’re still held hostage by school timing. You need to quickly leave the house before the morning rush, or resign yourself to silent internal rage until the school storm passes. Ask the people at Martia Road. They know.

In any case, when heavy traffic or complex junctions become an issue, some families will lean toward properties with a smoother and more direct route; and this can sometimes be properties further out than one kilometre. 

Ultimately, I expect more buyers to focus on details like whether the children can be home early before tuition (that is the rest break), and how easy it is for grandparents or other caretakers to navigate. This could replace the former distinction of the one- and two-kilometre boundary lines. 

While it’s not Singapore-wide, the recent policy tweak can have a substantial impact on relevant properties. 

We’ll try to round up the most affected properties when we can on Stacked. But in the meantime, buyers aiming at these particular schools may want to recheck their condo shortlist. You have a wider range of alternatives that may involve larger or more affordable units; or quite possibly, you can be comfortable and not worry about having to move anymore. 

Meanwhile in other property news…

• Neptune Court has made many an en-bloc attempt; but is it something that owners there should bank on? Check out our answer to a reader here. 
• Fancy a condo near Jurong East, but want to be closer to the scenic Jurong Lake district? Lucerne Grand is a new launch that attempts to combine the best of both.
• The income ceiling for singles buying BTO flats has finally gone up, as is appropriate in this time of inflation. Check out the details here. 
• As mentioned above, we have a price comparison for Amberwood at Holland on Stacked Pro, which seems especially pertinent right now for those seeking a home near MGS

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