Through-train, Nominated & Feeder Schools: The Three Linkage Types

Some Hong Kong primaries and secondaries share a formal secondary-progression linkage that directly affects a graduate's chances at a particular secondary. There are three types: through-train, nominated and feeder. (Sourced from the EDB Primary School Profiles.)

Through-train (一條龍)

Through-train primary and secondary schools are usually run by the same sponsoring body with a shared ethos. Graduates can generally progress directly to the linked secondary without secondary allocation — provided the pupil wishes to and meets the school's requirements.

Direct progression isn't an absolute guarantee: some schools set academic/conduct requirements, and the pupil must choose to progress. Applying for another school's discretionary place, or accepting a non-SSPA DSS (NDSS) secondary place, forfeits the through-train right. Confirm with the school.

Nominated (直屬)

In central allocation, a nominated secondary reserves up to 85% of its remaining places — after discretionary places and repeaters are deducted — for its nominated primary's pupils who are Band 1/2 in their net and list it first in Part B. The high share means strong chances, but it's still an allocation process (not automatic).

Feeder (聯繫)

A feeder secondary likewise reserves up to 25% of its remaining central-allocation places for its feeder primary (same conditions as nominated). With a lower reserved share, there's still competition when demand is high.

Note: the nominated/feeder reservations are taken from the central-allocation places remaining after discretionary places and repeaters — not from the discretionary stage. Also, the EDB's own English materials translate 直屬 as "feeder" (up to 85%) and 聯繫 as "nominated" (up to 25%) — the reverse of common Hong Kong usage. Anchor to the Chinese terms and the reserved percentages to avoid confusion.

How to weigh linkage when choosing a primary

• Start from the target secondary: if you have a secondary in mind, check whether it has a through-train / nominated / feeder primary, and plan from there.
• Don't look at linkage alone: the primary's own ethos, teaching quality and distance matter just as much.
• Understand how "direct" it really is: through-train offers the highest chance, then nominated, then feeder — and the percentages are ceilings, not guarantees in any given year.

To see which primaries carry a linkage, browse all primary schools — each profile lists its through-train / nominated / feeder secondary. Read alongside School Nets Decoded and the S1 allocation guide to plan the whole path from P1 to secondary.

Linkages are a key rung of Hong Kong's education ladder — understanding them early lets you map a route that fits your child.