*** READ ME FIRST !!! - P1 Registration FAQ ***

[ChiefKiasu]

Q: Can I use a rental address to register my child?

Variations:
Q: Can I use the address of my uncompleted property to register my child?
Q: Can I move house after my child's successful Primary school registration?
Q: How long must we stay at the address that was used to register my child?

A:
Based on what is published on http://www.moe.edu.sg/education/admissions/primary-one-registration/required-documents/, MOE permits the use of the addresses of incomplete properties for Primary 1 Registration as long as the property is ready for the child to stay in no later than the start of Primary 3.

Aside from this, there are really no regulations pertaining to how long before or after P1 registration that parents are required to rent or stay at an address.

The most important principles are:
1. Your NRIC must always reflect the address you are currently staying in, or
2. you have papers to prove that you will be staying with your child in a yet-to-be completed address near the school, and
3. your child must be staying in the address you used for the registration when he/she enters Primary 1, or before Primary 3.

MOE (and KiasuParents.com) strongly encourage parents to stay put in that address for the full six years of their children's Primary school education, and for a good reason. However, this is difficult to enforce as people do have to move for various valid reasons. So it becomes an honor system for parents to report to the schools they are registering in that they do not intend to stay in the address for too long, and leave it to the school to decide what priority they should be giving to the registrant.

This is a loophole, exploited by some parents desperate to get a place for their child in the very popular schools. The most obvious modus operandi would be to either rent or purchase a property near the school which they have no intention to stay in for more than a few months, and change their NRIC address to the property's location for use during the Primary 1 Registration. In doing so, they would have violated the 1st and 3rd principles, since their child is not staying in that property for any extended period of time. They can be charged with lying about their home address, which is a serious and chargeable offence. There have been cases where parents have been caught and thrown into jail, and the child had to leave the school even after she has completed up to 2 years of Primary school.

So, yes, some parents may have been able to get away with it. But even if we do not consider the dire consequences of being found out, is the need to get into the popular schools so important that we have to lie and teach our children to lie in order to get into the schools? I think not.

Some valid reasons for changing address after P1 registration:
1. You are moving to another address within the vicinity of the school.
2. You are making some alternative child care arrangements, eg. you decided to move, but the child either stays with the care-giver in the original address, or close-by.

[honeystar]

ChiefKiasu:

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS


9. If you are unsuccessful in an earlier Phase (eg. Phase 2B) in securing a place for your child, you are allowed to try again for the same school at a later Phase (eg. Phase 2C). However, you need to re-register your child in the later Phase (it is NOT automatic), and you will be treated with the same status as all other applicants in that Phase.

Question: If I'm unsuccessful in securing a place in Phase 2B, can I try/register for another school under Phase 2C instead?

[Twins]

honeystar:

ChiefKiasu:

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS


9. If you are unsuccessful in an earlier Phase (eg. Phase 2B) in securing a place for your child, you are allowed to try again for the same school at a later Phase (eg. Phase 2C). However, you need to re-register your child in the later Phase (it is NOT automatic), and you will be treated with the same status as all other applicants in that Phase.

Question: If I'm unsuccessful in securing a place in Phase 2B, can I try/register for another school under Phase 2C instead?

Of course you can! But note that Phase 2C is where the \"masses\" will apply, so if you're targeting a popular school, take note of distance proximity prioritisation and strategise carefully.

[honeystar]

Thanks Twin.


So it doesn't mean we've to register in the same school under 2C if unsuccessful in 2B? We can \"give up\" this school and register in another school under 2C?

Reason being my friend qualify for 2B (church member) but is outside the 2 km. According to the stats, 2km needs to ballot. Hence if she is unsucessful after ballot, can she still register in another school under 2C which they are staying within 1km? :?

[qms]

honeystar:

So it doesn't mean we've to register in the same school under 2C if unsuccessful in 2B? We can \"give up\" this school and register in another school under 2C?

If you are not successful in Phase 2B, your record in MOE's system will be \"erased\"/\"terminated\" . Hence, you are free to register in other schools in subsequent phases.

[Imp75]

I read the FAQ somewhere saying that if you have secured a place in an earlier phase, you need to give up that place before registering for another school in another phase. How does that work in practice? Lets say I am already alloted a place in School 1 in Phase 2B, then I wanna try my luck at another school in Phase 2C. When should I give up the place given? Prior to registration period for Phase 2C? But by doing that, I wont be able to know my chances for Phase 2C to make the switch right?

[jedamum]

Imp75:

When should I give up the place given? Prior to registration period for Phase 2C? But by doing that, I wont be able to know my chances for Phase 2C to make the switch right?

you can give up your place anytime during the 3 days of Phase 2C registration. you have to give up your place before the system accepts your Phase 2C registration.

[Luanee]

Imp75:

But by doing that, I wont be able to know my chances for Phase 2C to make the switch right?

Yes, that's a risk u have to take.

[titank]

cserene:

Oh dear.. I'm newbie. Now that I've scanned thru some posts on this thread, I realised I've missed the \"deadline\" for offering PV services to the \"dream school\". My elder girl is going P1 in 2011.

Sometimes I wonder how full time working parents (cos I'm one) find time to do PV services.

Then have to start planning to target schools in Phase 2C. When comes to PV, I'm PV 1st, Work Last. Die die also have to clock the hours. Inform the school I'm always to provide my service.

[tankee]

cserene:

Oh dear.. I'm newbie. Now that I've scanned thru some posts on this thread, I realised I've missed the \"deadline\" for offering PV services to the \"dream school\". My elder girl is going P1 in 2011.

Sometimes I wonder how full time working parents (cos I'm one) find time to do PV services.

I'm a full time working dad that had done PV.

I was lucky enough to draw early morning traffic warden duties that allow me to do PV then go to work.

Some schools, eg TNS, allows spouse to stand in if the parent doing PV is not available, and they allow PV parents to swap duties among themselves.

which schools are you targeting?