P1 Registration 2027: Phases, Distance Priority and Hougang Schools Near LinkTown Residences

“P1 registration 2027” can mean two things, and both matter to parents looking at homes in Hougang. It can mean the current exercise, for children starting Primary 1 in January 2027, whose main phases finished in August 2026. Or it can mean the 2027 exercise itself, held mid-2027 for children starting in January 2028, which is the first to use MOE’s newly announced changes.

This guide covers the MOE P1 registration phases, what changes from 2027, how home-school distance priority works, and what it means for families considering LinkTown Residences (Hougang Central Residences), the Hougang Central integrated development next to Montfort Junior School.

P1 registration phases explained

Information is accurate as of September 2026; we update this page when rules or figures change.

Singapore Citizen and Permanent Resident children register through these phases, in order. Each phase only has the places left over from the phase before it.

• 1Phase 1For children with a sibling already studying in the school.
• 2APhase 2AFor children whose parent or sibling studied at the school, whose parent is a staff member or sits on the school advisory or management committee, or who attend the MOE Kindergarten under the school’s purview.
• 2BPhase 2BFor children of eligible parent volunteers, church or clan members connected to the school, and active community leaders.
• 2CPhase 2COpen to all children not yet registered. This is where distance matters most for families with no school connection.
• 2CSPhase 2C SupplementaryFor children who still have no place, at schools with vacancies left.
• 3Phase 3For international students, after all Citizens and PRs have been allocated places.

Key dates for the 2026 exercise (for January 2027 entry), as confirmed by MOE

Source: MOE press release of 29 April 2026 on the 2026 Primary One Registration Exercise. That exercise covers children born between 2 January 2020 and 1 January 2021, and the overall registration period runs to 30 October 2026.

For the 2027 exercise, MOE has not published phase dates as of September 2026. MOE’s key-dates page currently notes only that framework changes start from the 2027 exercise, for children starting P1 in 2028. Last year’s dates were announced at the end of April, with registration opening at the end of June. A similar rhythm is likely but not confirmed, so treat any 2027 dates you see elsewhere as unofficial until MOE publishes them.

What changes from the 2027 P1 registration exercise

On 10 September 2026, MOE announced two changes that take effect from the 2027 exercise (for children starting P1 in 2028). As of September 2026, these are confirmed by MOE:

1. More Phase 2C places. Places reserved for Phase 2C rise from 40 to 60 at all schools except those with a P1 intake below 180. MOE says the extra places come from the earlier phases (reported as Phases 2A and 2B), though those phases keep their priority over Phase 2C.
2. A two-track Phase 2C at 12 schools. At 12 schools where public housing makes up less than 40% of homes within 2 km, Phase 2C places will be split equally between applicants living within 2 km and those living beyond it. There is no home-school distance priority within each track; Singapore Citizens still come before PRs, and a ballot is held if a track is oversubscribed. These schools are in areas such as Bukit Timah, Newton and Marine Parade; none are in Hougang.

For Hougang families, the first change is the relevant one. If you have no alumni, volunteer or church link to a school, more places now reach the phase you are likely to register in.

How distance priority works

When a phase is oversubscribed, MOE gives priority in this order (as of September 2026; the two-track Phase 2C at the 12 schools above works differently from 2027):

1. Singapore Citizens living within 1 km of the school
2. Singapore Citizens living between 1 km and 2 km
3. Singapore Citizens living beyond 2 km
4. PRs living within 1 km
5. PRs living between 1 km and 2 km
6. PRs living beyond 2 km

If there are still more applicants than places within a group, a ballot decides. Distance is measured by MOE from your registered address; use the school search on OneMap or MOE’s SchoolFinder to check which band an address falls into.

The 30-month rule

If your child gets a place through distance priority, your family must live at the registered address for at least 30 months. Generally, the clock starts from the start of the registration exercise (30 June 2026 for the current one). If you are registering with a newly bought property you have yet to move into, it starts when your family moves in; MOE sets out other specific cases on its site. If you don’t meet the requirement, MOE may transfer your child to another school of its choosing. Giving false address information can lead to a police referral.

Buying a new launch for P1: the timing question

MOE lets you register using the address of a purchased property that isn’t completed yet, with conditions (as of September 2026):

• The vacant or delivery possession date (VPD/DPD) in your purchase documents must be within two years of your child’s entry into P1.
• MOE does not accept a “probable” completion date.
• You must undertake to move in within two years of your child starting P1, and send the school supporting documents (for a private property, the Sale and Purchase documents) during the phase.

LinkTown Residences is expected to complete in 2030/2031, and its VPD hasn’t been published. So it is unlikely to help for P1 entry in 2027 or 2028. It becomes relevant for children entering P1 closer to completion. Once the S&P states a VPD, count back two years from it to see which P1 intakes could use the address. Plan for a fallback school from your current address in case timelines slip.

Hougang schools near LinkTown Residences

The site’s exact address has not been confirmed, so no one can quote precise distances yet. What has been reported:

• Montfort Junior School is next to the site.
• Holy Innocents’ Primary School and CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity are reported to be within about 1 km.
• Other primary schools in Hougang include Xinmin Primary and Punggol Primary.

CHIJ Our Lady of the Nativity is a girls’ school, Montfort Junior is a boys’ school, and all three schools named above have Catholic affiliations, so some places may go to church members in Phase 2B under MOE’s criteria. Each school sets out its own affiliations and volunteer schemes, so check directly.

Our schools near LinkTown Residences guide covers primary and secondary options, and the LinkTown Residences for families page brings together schools, parks and daily logistics. For how the site sits within Hougang Central, see the location page.

A checklist for parents

1. Work out which P1 year applies to your child (born 2 Jan to 1 Jan of the following year).
2. List every school connection you have: siblings, alumni, church or clan, volunteering.
3. Check each school’s past vacancy and balloting data on MOE’s site.
4. Measure distances on OneMap from the address you will actually live at.
5. If buying a new launch, compare the VPD in the S&P against the two-year window.
6. Plan to stay at least 30 months after using an address for distance priority.

Beyond schools, Hougang has plenty for families, from Punggol Park to the sports centre next door. Our living in Hougang guide covers it.

If schools are part of your decision, we will share the confirmed address and school distances as soon as they are available. Register your interest for updates.

Information as of September 2026, based on MOE’s press releases of 29 April 2026 and 10 September 2026 and MOE’s P1 registration pages. Phase dates for the 2027 exercise had not been announced at the time of writing. P1 rules and dates change; always verify with MOE before making housing or school decisions. Published by an independent licensed salesperson, not the developer.