Singapore's 2027 Primary 1 intake: what changed
For the 2027 Primary 1 cohort, 179 Singapore primary schools are taking in pupils, offering 38,548 P1 places in total (as of 2026-06-22). MOE is gradually reducing intake at most schools because student cohorts are shrinking. Trimming intake this way avoids school mergers and keeps a good geographical spread. 3 schools (Damai, Kranji, Townsville Primary) have paused P1 registration for 2025–2027 while they relocate, so they have no 2027 intake.
Shrinking cohorts mean fewer P1 places almost everywhere, and MOE is trimming quietly rather than merging schools. For parents the takeaway is simple. Fewer places at a school you are eyeing can tighten a ballot even when demand holds steady.
Keith Teo, CheckHowMuch
| School | Moving from → to | Opens |
|---|---|---|
| Damai Primary School | Bedok → Tampines North | 2029 |
| Kranji Primary School | Choa Chu Kang → Tengah | 2028 |
| Townsville Primary School | Ang Mo Kio → East Canberra (Sembawang) | 2029 |
All three have paused P1 registration for 2025–2027. Existing pupils continue at their current campuses until the move.
| Region | Schools | P1 places |
|---|---|---|
| North | 49 | 10,510 |
| South | 41 | 8,254 |
| East | 46 | 10,420 |
| West | 43 | 9,364 |
What the 2027 Primary 1 changes mean for parents
Singapore is reducing Primary 1 intake at most schools as student cohorts shrink. For the 2027 cohort, 179 schools are taking in pupils with 38,548 places between them, and a typical school has about 210 places. Smaller intakes mean fewer places in each distance band, so for an oversubscribed school the home-school distance priority can matter more. Singapore Citizens within 1km rank first, then those within 1–2km. Check any school's exact 2027 vacancy and the HDB blocks inside its 1km radius on its CheckHowMuch page.
Frequently asked questions
How many primary schools are taking Primary 1 in 2027?
179 primary schools are taking in P1 pupils for the 2027 cohort, offering 38,548 places in total. A typical school has about 210 places. Three schools (Damai, Kranji, Townsville) have paused P1 registration for 2025–2027 while relocating, so 182 primary schools exist but 179 are taking P1 in 2027.
Why is MOE cutting the Primary 1 intake for 2027?
Singapore's student cohorts are shrinking with falling birth rates. Rather than close or merge schools, MOE is gradually trimming each school's P1 intake over several years, starting from the 2026 registration exercise. This keeps schools open and maintains a good geographical spread across the island.
Which schools are not taking Primary 1 in 2027?
Damai Primary School (relocating from Bedok to Tampines North, opening 2029); Kranji Primary School (relocating from Choa Chu Kang to Tengah, opening 2028); Townsville Primary School (relocating from Ang Mo Kio to East Canberra (Sembawang), opening 2029). All three have paused P1 registration for 2025–2027. Existing pupils continue at their current campuses until the move.
When can I register my child for Primary 1 in 2027?
The 2026 P1 Registration Exercise (for entry to Primary 1 in 2027) runs from 30 June 2026 to 30 October 2026, across Phases 1, 2A, 2B, 2C and 2C Supplementary. Live vacancies and balloting for each school are published on the MOE vacancies and balloting page.