From the 2027 Primary 1 registration exercise, the rules change at some of the most sought-after primary schools in Bukit Timah. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will split Phase 2C places at 12 schools into two tracks: half for children living within 2km, and half for those living farther away. For families looking at condos around Dunearn Road and Turf City, it shifts which homes give the best chance at a place.
Here is what changes, which Bukit Timah schools are affected, and what it means if you are buying a home with Primary 1 in mind.
What the Two-Track Scheme changes
MOE announced the changes on 10 September 2026. From the 2027 exercise, most primary schools will reserve 60 places for Phase 2C, up from 40, as reported by The Straits Times. Phase 2C is the stage for children with no prior link to the school (no sibling, alumni parent, staff or volunteer connection), so it is where most families compete on address alone.
At 12 schools in neighbourhoods where public housing is a small share of homes, those Phase 2C places will be split in two:
- Within-2km track: at least 30 places for children living within 2km. Everyone in this track has the same distance priority, whether they live 300m or 1.9km away.
- Beyond-2km track: at least 30 places for children living farther away.
- Singapore citizens still come before PRs, unfilled places in one track go to citizens in the other, and each track is balloted if oversubscribed.
Education Minister Desmond Lee told Parliament on 7 October that only about 15% of Phase 2C students at the 12 schools live in public housing, and that the scheme aims to widen access and improve the social mix. The other registration phases are unchanged: in Phases 2A and 2B, living within 1km still ranks ahead of 1km to 2km.
Which Bukit Timah schools are affected
Four of the 12 schools are in the Bukit Timah area, according to an EdgeProp Singapore analysis published on 12 November:
- Nanyang Primary School
- Raffles Girls' Primary School
- Methodist Girls' School (Primary)
- Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School
The other eight are around Newton (including Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) and (Primary), Singapore Chinese Girls' Primary and St. Margaret's) and the East Coast (including Tao Nan and Tanjong Katong Primary). If you have been following the Bukit Timah education belt, these are some of the names that drive demand for homes in the area.
How many Bukit Timah condos gain
EdgeProp estimates that about 700 condo projects across the three areas, with some 74,000 units, sit 1km to 2km from one of the 12 schools and will now share the top Phase 2C priority. In Bukit Timah alone:
| Bukit Timah area | Projects | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Within 1km of a Two-Track school | 119 | 18,387 |
| 1km to 2km (gaining top Phase 2C priority) | 88 | 13,600 |
| Total within 2km | 207 | 31,987 |
Some older Bukit Timah condos now fall within 2km of several of the schools. EdgeProp lists Royalgreen as within 2km of up to four Two-Track schools, and Astrid Meadows and The Sixth Avenue Residences at up to three.
It cuts both ways
The change helps some families and hurts others, depending on demand at each school:
- At the most popular schools, children within 1km used to take almost all Phase 2C places. From 2027, families 1km to 2km away can ballot on equal terms for at least 30 places, which is a real improvement for them.
- At schools with less demand, families 1km to 2km away used to be next in line after the within-1km group. Now half the places go to the beyond-2km track, so they compete with within-1km families for a smaller pool.
- Distance is measured per block, from the school's land boundary to each residential block, not to the development as a whole. In a large condo, some blocks can be inside 2km and others outside.
- Nothing is guaranteed. Each track is balloted when oversubscribed, and a child can register at only one school per phase.
Where Dunearn House sits
EdgeProp estimates that Dunearn House is within 1km of Methodist Girls' School (Primary), and 1km to 2km from Raffles Girls' Primary School and Pei Hwa Presbyterian Primary School. Under the new rules, that puts the project in the within-2km Phase 2C track at all three schools, and within 1km of MGS for Phases 2A and 2B. EdgeProp notes these distance bands are its own estimates, because OneMap's School Query did not yet show the new project.
Timing matters too. Dunearn House launched in July 2026 and is still under construction, so families would need to check when they can move in relative to the registration year they are targeting. MOE uses the address you live at for registration, not the one you have bought.
For more on the location, see the schools, MRT and amenities around Dunearn House, or our guide to living near Bukit Timah.
What to do if Primary 1 is part of your plan
- Check each block on OneMap's School Query, which MOE uses for P1 registration, before you commit to a unit.
- Work out your registration year and when you can realistically move in. A home you cannot live in by then does not count.
- Look at Phases 2A and 2B as well as 2C if you have any link to a school, because within-1km still ranks first there.
- Don't pay a premium for "within 1km" alone at the 12 Two-Track schools without weighing the 1km to 2km options, which now share the same Phase 2C priority.
Dunearn House sold 212 of its 380 homes on its July launch weekend, and 2-bedroom + study and 4-bedroom units were still available afterwards. If you are weighing it against older condos in the 1km to 2km band, WhatsApp us on +65 8866 9422 for the current units and prices, and we can check the school distances for specific stacks with you.
This article is for general information only and is not financial, investment or education-placement advice. Figures are as reported by the sources below at the time of writing and may change. Always confirm home-school distances on OneMap and registration rules with MOE.
Sources
- EdgeProp Singapore: New P1 rules give 700 more condos top Phase 2C priority at 12 primary schools (12 November 2026)
- The Straits Times: P1 registration: 15% of Phase 2C students at 12 popular primary schools live in public housing (7 October 2026)
- Ministry of Education: Primary 1 (P1) registration
- EdgeProp Singapore: Dunearn House sells 56% of units on launch weekend at average of $3,140 psf (26 July 2026)
