Primary One Registration: Strategy

Do you have a child born in the year 2006? 

If your answer is yes and you are planning to register your child at a local primary school, then you might be interested in reading about these strategies.

Primary One registration for local school begins in July. Despite the new ruling that Singaporeans get priority in the registration process, parents still freak out at the prospect of “not getting into a good school”, and the need to apply calculated risks is a necessary measure to ensure success in your primary school registration.

For many parents, this is still a period of high anxiety as they await the final reward of their efforts.  The plotting and scheming starts as early as 18 months earlier when the research and preparation begins.  Most parents would have done one or multiple of the following to get their child into their “branded” school of choice:

1. Become a member of your school alumni (Phase 2A)
2. Served as a parent volunteer at the school of your choice (Phase 2B)
3. Joined an association, clan or religious affiliation associated with the school of your choice (Phase 2B)
4. Be part of the grassroots community (Phase 2B)
5. Move within one kilometre of the school of choice.
6. Read every helpful post (like this one) on primary one registration

You are exempted if you are registering your second or third child as the said child will have sibling privilege that guarantees him/her top priority in the school. But in the event that you have NOT done any of the above “duties” for your first child, or decided to put your subsequent children in different schools from the first due to gender difference or school curriculum, then read on about these strategies parents have adopted in the past with a great degree of success.

A) Monitor this Ministry of Education (MOE) page that gives you a breakdown of the vacancies available at the school or this page that tells you if the school you are applying will require balloting. Tag these two pages as your favourites during the registration period.

B) Check out this detailed compilation by KiasuParents on the balloting history of  local schools during the Primary One Registration for a better idea of the “risk” factor – i.e. what percent does your child stand to get into the school in the phase you are applying in.

C) If you’ve lost your report card or PSLE certificate, head down to Customer Service Centre at MOE (1 North Buona Vista Drive, Singapore 138675)  for a certified copy of your cert.  This will attest to which primary school you are from. It costs S$10 per copy. Bring some identification along.

Use the information from the first two to access the chances of success in your registration process. You can change tactic depending on the balloting ratio for those living within or outside of 1Km.
Finally, PRAY.  No kidding. Lots of prayers (for faith and luck) are warranted at this junction.

Phase 1  (July 3 & 4 ) – you have a child already studying in the primary school of choice (sibling privilege).

Phase 2A.1 (July 6) – you are a former student of the primary school and have joined the alumni association as a member not later than 30 June 2011; OR you are a member of the School Advisory / Management Committee.

Phase 2A .2 (July 12 & 13) – you are a former student OR a staff member  in the primary school of choice.

Phase 2B (July 19 & 20) – you are a parent volunteer at the school not later than 1 Jul 2011 and have given at least 40 hours of voluntary service to the school by 30 Jun 2012 OR a member endorsed by the church/clan directly connected with the primary school OR endorsed as an active community leader. Bring the relevant letters to your registration.

Phase 2C (July 30 – August 1) – you have none of the above affiliation and are applying based on proximity to the school.

Phase 2C Supplementary (August 14 & 15) – you are applying in this phase because your child failed to get a spot in phases 2B or 2C.

Phase 3 (August 30) – you are a foreigner applying for a place in the local schools.

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