Part A is unrestricted by school net, but choices are still processed in order

How 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.