We often hear of parents moving homes for the sake of their children’s education. Some families relocate to a preferred school net in the hope of increasing their child’s chances of being allocated a place at a desired school. However, not every family has the budget to move into a traditional prestigious school district. In such cases, children can only try to apply for schools outside their district through the “Discretionary Places Admission” stage and Part A of the “Central Allocation” stage.
At present, the Primary One Admission System is mainly divided into two stages: “Discretionary Places Admission” and “Central Allocation.” During the Discretionary Places Admission stage, parents are not restricted by district and may apply to any government or aided primary school for their child.
For Central Allocation, 10% of each school’s places are allocated under Part A, which is not restricted by school net. Parents may choose up to three primary schools from any school net. The remaining 90% of Central Allocation places fall under Part B, which is restricted by school net. Parents must choose from the list of schools within the school net of their residential address.
If a child is eventually allocated a place at a school outside the family’s district, the family may need to reconsider where they should live. Should they move closer to the child’s school to make the daily school commute easier, or choose a location closer to the parents’ workplace? This is often a key question parents need to weigh carefully before moving homes.
If the child’s needs are the top priority, the benefits of moving closer to the school are clear. A shorter commute means the child can get more sleep, avoid the fatigue of long journeys, and stay better rested and more focused throughout the school day. By contrast, a long daily cross-district commute can place a strain on a child’s energy, mood, and learning.
Living near the school also makes drop-offs and pick-ups easier for parents, grandparents, or domestic helpers. If something unexpected happens, such as the child feeling unwell or forgetting to bring something to school, family members can respond more quickly. In terms of school life, many classmates may also live nearby, making it easier for children to meet up after school for revision or extracurricular activities. This can help them settle into school life more quickly.
However, if the parents’ workplace is far from the school, commuting to work while also taking care of school pick-ups and drop-offs can become very tiring. This is especially true for dual-income families. By the time parents return home from work, their child may already have finished dinner or even be getting ready for bed, leaving much less time for family bonding.
There is no denying that moving closer to the school and moving closer to the workplace each have their own pros and cons. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. When making the decision, parents can consider two key factors.
The first is the child’s age and level of independence. If the child is still in kindergarten or primary school, living closer to school is generally more practical. If the child has already started secondary school, parents may have more flexibility to consider living closer to work.
The second is the parents’ work arrangements. If both parents need to work in the office every day and have long working hours, the daily commute to work should be an important consideration when choosing where to live. On the other hand, if their jobs offer more flexibility, such as allowing them to work from home several days a week, moving closer to the child’s school can also be a sensible option.
