From the 2027 Primary One (P1) registration exercise, 12 popular primary schools will admit half their Phase 2C intake from children living more than 2km away – scrapping the home-school distance advantage that has long pushed some families to buy or rent near a specific school. The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the change on 10 September 2026, and five of the 12 schools sit in or next to Newton, Novena and Bukit Timah – the postal districts covering 32 Gilstead and much of District 9, 10 and 11.
Property analysts quoted in the days after the announcement do not expect a rush of sellers near these schools. But they do expect the radius buyers consider "close enough" to widen. Here is what changed, which D9–D11 schools are affected, and what the analysts are telling homebuyers.
What's changing under the new P1 framework
The revised framework takes effect from the 2027 P1 registration exercise, for children starting Primary 1 in 2028. Two changes matter most for property buyers:
- More Phase 2C places. Phase 2C – open to any child regardless of prior ties to the school – will have its reserved places raised from 40 to 60 at almost every school, with Phase 2B unchanged at 20.
- A new Two-Track Scheme at 12 schools. At schools where public housing makes up less than 40% of homes within 2km, Phase 2C places will now be split evenly: 30 for those living within 2km, and 30 for those living beyond 2km. Crucially, there is no distance priority within either track, so a family 500m from the school gets no edge over one 1.9km away.
For a fuller walk-through of the admission phases and the school list, see this guide to the 2027 P1 registration changes and the 1km rule.
Five of the 12 schools are in the Newton–Novena–Bukit Timah corridor
MOE picked the 12 schools because their surrounding neighbourhoods have unusually little public housing. Several sit inside or beside Districts 9, 10 and 11:
| School | Location |
|---|---|
| Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) | Winstedt Road, Newton (D9) |
| St Margaret's School (Primary) | Wilkie Road, Newton/Dhoby Ghaut (D9) |
| Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) | Barker Road, Novena (D11) |
| Singapore Chinese Girls' Primary School | Dunearn Road, Novena (D11) |
| Nanyang Primary School | King's Road, Bukit Timah (D10) |
| Methodist Girls' School (Primary) | Blackmore Drive, Bukit Timah (D21) |
| Ngee Ann, Pei Hwa Presbyterian, Raffles Girls', CHIJ (Katong), Tanjong Katong, Tao Nan | Other districts (D15, D20, D23) |
Will this cool prices near popular schools?
Not much, according to agents interviewed by The Straits Times. Eugene Lim, key executive officer of ERA Singapore, said many of the 12 schools are in prime districts – he named Bukit Timah specifically – that stay popular with buyers "for reasons beyond their proximity to schools." Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion (OrangeTee & ETC) Group, expects demand within 2km to stay firm because parents may see less competition in that smaller pool than in the islandwide Phase 2C (>2km) track. "The robust demand is not likely to cause prices to escalate, as parents will not need to live as close to the school as possible now," she said.
Wong Siew Ying, head of research and content at PropNex, called it too early to say how the market will move, but expects "a slight moderation or redistribution of school-driven demand" around the 12 schools. Lee Sze Teck, senior director of data analytics at Huttons Asia, went further: he thinks the practical radius for school-driven buying will widen to about 3–4km, or a 10–15 minute commute – which, for Nanyang Primary in Bukit Timah, would stretch a buyer's search well into the wider District 10 and 11 belt.
School zones already carry a price premium
The size of that premium is measurable. A Realion Research study cited in the same report found that resale condo units within 1km of Nanyang Primary School rose 18.2% between the first half of 2022 and the first half of 2026 – well ahead of the 12.4% rise for District 10 (Tanglin, Holland and Bukit Timah) as a whole. That gap is the clearest evidence yet that being inside the old 1km/2km priority ring has been worth paying for – and it's exactly the advantage the Two-Track Scheme is designed to dilute over time.
What it means if you're buying in D9, D10 or D11
- Don't expect a discount right away. The change only takes effect for the 2027 registration exercise (2028 P1 intake), and analysts see a gradual redistribution of demand, not a price correction.
- The school is one reason to buy in Newton, Novena or Bukit Timah – not the only one. As Eugene Lim noted, these districts draw buyers for their location, amenities and freehold stock regardless of any single school's catchment.
- Freehold boutique homes in the corridor remain scarce. 32 Gilstead, a freehold condo on Gilstead Road minutes from ACS (Junior), St Margaret's and Singapore Chinese Girls' Primary, is a case in point – its 14 units are fully sold. For similar freehold or well-located stock, buyers increasingly have to look at the newer launches nearby.
For more on how the wider Newton area is developing, see our earlier piece on new homes and amenities planned for Newton, and our FAQ for 32 Gilstead for details on this freehold project on Gilstead Road. For the latest quarterly price data across the Core Central Region, read our recap of Q2 2026 prime condo prices, or browse all our property news coverage.
If you're widening your search in this corridor, current launches include Dunearn House and Chancery Hill Collection in District 11, and Amberwood at Holland and UpperHouse at Orchard in District 10. WhatsApp us for price lists, floor plans and showflat appointments.
This article is for general information only and is not financial, investment or education-placement advice. Figures and quotes are from the sources below as at their publication dates.
Sources
- Ministry of Education, Enhancing the Primary One Registration Framework for Greater Access and Inclusivity, 10 September 2026
- The Straits Times, New rules for P1 registration could widen home search for parents eyeing popular schools, 11 September 2026
- Channel NewsAsia, Primary 1 registration: More Phase 2C places from 2027, new two-track scheme at 12 schools, September 2026
