Parents and guardians of children entering their first year of primary school this September are being advised that the registration period has been extended by the Ministry of Education.Registration has been extended to five days instead of three to enrol primary school students. It begins on February 6 and runs through to February 10 for all children who will be aged five during this calendar year.And while places are not allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, the Ministry is urging parents to submit applications on time to increase their chances of securing a place at the school of first choice. Late applications will be considered based on the availability of spaces, and in accordance with the Education Act 1996.The Ministry also announced a small change in the boundary between the central and western zones, in addition to an updated policy and procedures document on first-time admissions to primary school.The boundary change essentially moves Gilbert Institue and Paget Primary schools out of the western zone to the central zone. The end result is an equal allocation of six primary schools for each school zone. The new change will not affect which middle school students will attend after they leave primary school.The old boundary has changed from the line from the South Shore at Grape Bay, across Rural Hill, along Stowe Hill to the junction with Harbour Road and then left to the junction of Pomander Road at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club to the line on Cobb’s Hill, Paget from Harbour Road to South Road, Paget.The Ministry of Education also announced a new policy and procedure document that affirms that parents of non-Bermudian children must prove that their children are bona-fide residents of Bermuda at the time of registration, through either a copy of the children’s entry/re-entry permit or by a letter from the Department of Immigration. This new policy follows the release of an updated guidelines governing the entrance of all P1 students at public schools.According to the statement released by the Ministry, the initial changes were made primarily to put all regulations and procedures into a single document for transparency and ease of reference. The main changes in the initial document provide that principals may give preference to siblings (including step or adopted siblings) of students already enrolled in the school of choice over other applicants who may live closer to that same school.Parents with five-year-old children with challenges relating to mobility, vision, hearing, medical, social-emotional, developmental, or any other special needs are urged to contact Carmelita Smith, the Early Childhood Education Officer of Student Services at the Ministry prior to the submission of school application forms. This will assist in selecting the most appropriate school for the child’s needs. Ms Smith can be reached at 294-0362 or via e-mail at carsmith[AT]gov.bm.There is also the option of making an early or delayed entry request for primary school. Letters should be sent to the Minister of Education along with the primary school application form. The Minister will make a decision after receiving the recommendation of the Student Services Section of the Ministry.Parents are also reminded of their right to appeal to the Appeals Committee if their child is not admitted to the school of choice. Appeals must be made in writing and sent to the Chair of the Appeals Committee c/o the Ministry of Education.