Updated health advice has been issued to NSW public schools aimed at ensuring the schools can continue to operate full time with face-to-face teaching and learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Education announced that from today (19 August) all NSW public schools were required to adopt the changes to ensure school communities remained safe inside and outside the school gate.
“Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is prohibited from returning to school until a negative test result has been reported,” the Department said.
“Under additional measures for Term Three, students must remain within their relevant class or year group to limit mixing,” it said.
“Schools must not travel outside their local community or zone, including between rural and regional areas.”
The Department said interschool sport and zone carnivals were now restricted to 100 people per venue and must be held in the local area.
“Spectators, including parents and carers, are not permitted within school grounds or at sporting events held during school hours,” it said.
“All group singing and or other chanting activities, as well as the use of wind instruments in group settings are not permitted.”
It said school formals, dances, graduation or other social events were not permitted.
“Schools may hold a Year 12 assembly at school without parents to recognise the completion of school or consider delaying events until later in the year,” it said.
The Department said the new restrictions complimented existing health advice for schools, including maintaining good hand hygiene, physical distancing for adults and banning non-essential school visitors.
