Returning Singaporeans - Primary School Placement

What does MOE mean by ‘Returning Singaporean (RS) children’?

‘Returning Singaporean children’ refers to children who are Singapore Citizens (SC) or Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) who have lived overseas and are currently not attending local schools.

What is meant by ‘school nearest to home’?

This would be the school nearest to the child’s local residential address (as reflected on the parent/guardian’s NRIC) that is suitable for the child. For example, the child’s mother tongue language, gender, etc. will be taken into consideration in the selection of the school.

What is meant by ‘level appropriate to age cohort’?

Will Returning Singaporeans on LOA be guaranteed a place in the nearest primary school with vacancies?

Returning Singaporeans on LOA already have a place in a school. Hence, the guarantee is not applicable to them.

Can Returning Singaporeans give up their LOA place in their previous school if they prefer MOE to offer a place in a primary school with vacancies nearest to their home?

MOE’s offer of a place is to assist Returning Singaporeans in getting back into our schools, having been away from Singapore. Returning Singaporeans with LOA already have a place reserved for them in their previous school. Hence, Returning Singaporeans who give up their LOA may not benefit from MOE’s offer of a place. Returning Singaporeans who give up their LOA would have to approach another school of their choice directly to apply for admission, and the school would have the discretion to decide whether or not to admit such Returning Singaporeans.

If the parents / guardians of Returning Singaporean children do not currently have a local address as they had sold their last residence, how would the nearest primary school with vacancies be determined?

The parents / guardians can declare their intention to live in a local address if they do not currently have a local address. Such parents / guardians must sign an undertaking that they will move into the address used for admission. A false declaration is an offence, and can result in the child being taken out of the school and placed in another school with vacancies located nearest to the child’s true address.

Why is there no centralised posting exercise at the end of the year for primary schools unlike the case for secondary schools under the School Placement Exercise for Returning Singaporeans (SPERS)?

As placement to primary schools is not based on merit, MOE will provide assistance to Returning Singaporeans throughout the year for admission to primary schools. It is thus not necessary to conduct a centralised posting exercise at the end of the year. Returning Singaporeans will continue to have equal opportunities to seek admission to a primary school of choice during the Primary One Registration Exercise, no different from local Singaporeans.

How will MOE identify a primary school for Returning Singaporean children?

MOE will provide Returning Singaporean children with a place in a suitable primary school nearest to their home. In doing so, MOE will take into account factors like gender or the availability of instruction in the appropriate Mother Tongue language.

If the Returning Singaporean does not feel comfortable with the school nearest to his / her home based on religious grounds, will MOE provide a place in another school?

MOE will exercise flexibility if there are special religious considerations.

Will Returning Singaporeans be taking up places that previously went to students residing in Singapore? Will this make it more difficult for students residing in Singapore to get into popular primary schools?

Returning Singaporeans will only be offered places in schools with vacancies at the Primary 2 to Primary 5 levels. This will not impact existing students residing in Singapore. For Primary 1, children residing in Singapore and Returning Singaporean children have equal opportunities to seek admission to primary schools of their choice during the Primary One Registration Exercise. If Returning Singaporean children want to be admitted at the Primary 6 level, the school will, in consultation with their parents, decide whether or not to accept the children since Primary 6 is the critical PSLE year.

Do Returning Singaporeans have to sit for school-based entrance tests for admission to primary schools?

Previously, Returning Singaporeans seeking admission to primary schools had to sit for school-based entrance tests and get help from essay writing services. However, under the current enhanced admission framework, Returning Singaporeans no longer have to sit for entrance tests for admission to primary schools. Nevertheless, primary schools may conduct test(s), after admission, to determine Returning Singaporeans’ mastery of content and language. This is to provide information on the children’s current attainment level, so that they receive the appropriate help to settle back into local schools. The schools may, based on such tests and in consultation with parents, place the children into a lower more suitable level.

What option is there if Returning Singaporeans are unable to keep up with the schools’ academic requirements?

Primary schools must admit Returning Singaporean children to their age-appropriate levels. This is because if the children had stayed in Singapore, they would have progressed to the same levels as their peers residing in Singapore. MOE’s policy intent is to ensure that Returning Singaporeans are not worse off than their peers in Singapore. However, primary schools may, in consultation with parents, place the children into a lower more suitable level

Are schools allowed to conduct any entrance tests or interviews for admission?

No, primary schools may not conduct any entrance tests or interviews for admission of Returning Singaporeans and you don't need to buy an essay.

Who should a school admit, if there are more Returning Singaporean applicants than places available in the school?

Should the number of applicants exceed the number of vacancies, schools will have the flexibility to use their school-based criteria to allocate the limited number of vacancies to applicants. Schools can take the applicants’ distance from home into account.

Can Returning Singaporeans be exempted from examinations?

As Returning Singaporeans rejoin Singapore schools at different times of the school year, parents may be concerned about the performance of their children in school examinations. In this regard, the Principals have the discretion to decide whether the pupils should be exempted from examinations and on their promotion to the next level on a case-by-case basis.