Travel time and distance to school
Selecting a school near your home saves you time and travel costs. A shorter commute lets your child rest better and have more time and energy to focus on other interests.
Last Updated: 25 Feb 2026
How to choose a primary school
The primary school years are important as they are foundational to your child’s learning. When choosing a school for your child, consider a balance between your child’s needs and your preferences.
2. Does my child need to participate?
Your child must participate in the S1 Posting Exercise in the following scenarios:
Mother Tongue Languages
Studying a Mother Tongue Language (MTL) will help your child to communicate more effectively in MTL, appreciate their cultural heritage and connect with wider communities across Asia and the world.
There are 3 official MTLs in the national curriculum: Chinese, Malay and Tamil.
Use SchoolFinder to learn about the MTLs offered by each school.
School culture
Visit the school’s open house to get a sense of the school’s culture and learning environment. You can also talk to current students, teachers and principal to learn more about the school.
Special educational needs
If your child has special educational needs, consider choosing a school that caters to their learning needs. Learn more about support for children with special educational needs.
Successful DSA-Sec applicants
If your child is offered a choice of Posting Group or Third Language Programme, they may submit their preference through the S1 Portal if they wish to opt for them.If no submission was made to choose their preferred Posting Group, your child will be assigned to a Posting Group that offers subjects at the more academically demanding level at the start of Secondary 1.
Successful DSA-Sec applicants do not need to submit school choices.