The existing POA system consist of two stages: "Discretionary Places Admission" and "Central Allocation".
At the "Discretionary Places Admission" stage, parents may apply to any government or aided primary school without the restriction of school net. For "Central Allocation", there are two categories of places. 10% of the places (Category A) are earmarked for unrestricted school choices. Parents may choose up to three schools irrespective of school nets. The remaining 90% of the central allocation places (Category B) are for restricted school choices and parents should select the primary schools available in their residing school net.
But if parents indicate in the "Application Form for Admission to Primary One" that their child cannot use Chinese as a learning medium, they can choose any schools in their residing school net in Category B as well as schools from any school nets which traditionally have a higher intake of NCS students.
"Central Allocation" is based on parental choices and students' random numbers. The computer programme will first process the unrestricted school choices and then the restricted school choices.
For details, please refer to the below website:
http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/index.html