SSPA 2025/2027 practical guide
Part A is unrestricted by school net, but choices are still processed in order
Part A lets parents select up to three schools from the annual territory-wide list. It is not a separate lottery and there is a consequence to using only highly demanded choices: the computer processes Part A first, and a successful allocation stops before Part B.
Separate the evidence layers first
Answer this guide with the right evidence
The current-cycle framework, year-labelled mechanism references and pending 2027 evidence are not interchangeable.
Understand how the three unrestricted choices are processed before Part B and what the preference order means in practice.
EDB Circular Memorandum 177/2025 confirms the SSPA 2025/2027 framework; the complete parent timetable and annual school lists are not yet published in formal documents.
The 2024/2026 CA notes explain the three-choice limit, about 10% of CA places, Territory Bands, preference order and random numbers.
The 2025/2027 Part A choice period, territory-wide school list, allocation result and registration timetable.
Move from the guide to the next task
Complete three tasks without guessing unpublished evidence
Check whether exact dates are published, build a shortlist from clearly dated official 2025/26 profiles, then compare schools side by side. Those profiles do not establish 2025/2027 participation or the annual school lists.
Check the 2027 calendar state
Treat only exact current-cycle dates as action deadlines; an empty calendar is itself an important status.
Check date publication statusBuild a shortlist from official profiles
Narrow 441 schools by district, finance type, gender, language and other 2025/26 fields.
Open the school finderCompare up to four schools
Review official profiles, reviewed exam evidence, non-official estimates and unpublished 2027 evidence in separate layers.
Open four-school comparisonHow Part A and Part B are sequenced
After repeater and DP places are deducted, the remaining S1 places are used for CA. Under the current EDB mechanism, about 10% of CA places are assigned to unrestricted Part A and about 90% to school-net Part B. The computer processes Part A for all students before moving unallocated students to Part B.
If a student obtains a Part A place, the Part B choices are not processed. Part A should therefore follow the family's genuine preference order rather than being treated as a trial that leaves Part B unaffected.
Territory Band, parental choice and random number
Part A uses Territory Bands. The computer processes first choices for Territory Band 1, then the second and third choices of unallocated students in that band. It repeats the procedure for Bands 2 and 3. When demand exceeds supply, students with smaller random numbers within the same band are processed first.
The computer generates the random number before allocation. It is unrelated to the Student Reference Number or personal data; each student receives one, and it is not retained afterward. Families cannot discover or strategically control it, so the choice order should express real priorities.
Three checks before completing Part A
If a school also appears in the student's Part B net list, it may be selected in both Part A and Part B. That is not a duplicate within one part: the two parts use different place pools and allocation bands.
- Use only schools and codes in the current-cycle Handbook for Unrestricted School Choices; a prior-cycle list is not a 2027 choice list.
- Verify school name, address, student gender, remarks and whether the school offers Part A places in the current cycle.
- Order first, second and third choices by genuine preference and do not repeat a school within the same part.
Do not forecast Part A with market school bands
The EDB Territory Band belongs to the student and can only be determined when the computer has complete cohort data. It is not a permanent school rating and cannot be estimated accurately from a prior cohort's school rank alone. Part A also depends on current places, other families' choices and random numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How many schools may be selected in Part A?
Up to three, from any school net including the student's own.
Which is processed first, Part A or Part B?
Part A is processed first; a student allocated in Part A does not proceed to Part B.
Does Part A use the Net Band?
No. Part A uses the Territory Band; Part B uses the Net Band.
May the same school appear in Part A and Part B?
Yes, if it appears in the student's Part B net list, but it should not be repeated within the same part.
Source record
EDB sources used by this guide
Earlier-cycle documents are visibly labelled and support mechanism explanations only.
EDB Notes for Parents on Central Allocation 2024/2026
2024/2026 mechanism reference; its dates do not carry forward
Open official source ↗EDB Information Leaflet on SSPA 2024/2026
2024/2026 mechanism reference; its dates do not carry forward
Open official source ↗Education Bureau SSPA general information
Annual publication monitor
Open official source ↗Related S1 guides
Part B is processed by school net, so order and choice coverage both matter
Understand Central Allocation Part B: school-net rules, up to 30 choices, about 90% of CA places, Net Bands, random numbers and choice-form risks.
Read related guideS1 Discretionary Places: separate application, successful notification and allocation
EDB-sourced S1 Discretionary Places guide covering the two-school limit, preference order, admission criteria, interviews, notifications and Central Allocation.
Read related guideeSSPA supports submission, but a draft, upload or successful login is not a filed application
Understand eSSPA accounts, activation codes, iAM Smart+, electronic DP and CA submission, duplicate applications, drafts and acknowledgements.
Read related guide