NSW – Info for parents: be COVID-smart for the start of school
| Watch for symptoms If your child is unwell, even with mild symptoms you must keep them home and get them tested. If they display any symptoms they should take a PCR test (nose and throat swab) or rapid antigen test (RAT). If symptoms continue your child should stay home and take another RAT or PCR test in 24 hours. If that test is also negative, your child may return to school if another diagnosis is confirmed such as hay fever. Vaccinations All staff on school sites must be fully vaccinated. We strongly encourage all students and their families to get vaccinated. Children aged 5 to 11 can now get vaccinated. Parents are encouraged to book their child in for a vaccination at the first available opportunity. Once eligible, all adults are encouraged to get booster shots. |
| COVID-19 positive cases If your child has no symptoms and there is a positive case in their class, year or other grouping, they can continue to attend school in line with NSW Health advice. Staff and students who get a positive rapid antigen test result must register it on service.nsw.gov.au or the Service NSW app as soon as possible. Staff and students who receive a positive rapid antigen or PCR test result must tell their school as soon as possible, and follow NSW Health advice.Schools will regularly communicate to parents about the presence and impact of COVID-19 in their community. Parents should expect to be provided with details of any impacted year groups or cohorts. |
| Visitors Visitors on school sites should be kept to a minimum to support essential school activities or student needs. Visitors will be required to wear a mask indoors and will be encouraged to wear a mask outdoors if they cannot maintain physical distancing. Schools are advised to allow a maximum of 2 parents or carers per student onto school grounds for Kindergarten orientation or Year 7 transition. Keeping schools open Parents are asked to respect the rules at their child’s school to help keep the community safe. Schools will do everything they can to maintain continuity of face-to-face learning including the use of more casual staff. Schools will need to make localised staffing decisions to ensure appropriate supervision can be maintained. Schools will not be able to guarantee particular staff for any cohort and students may not have their regular teacher for a class. Learning from home We will continue to monitor the situation and where face-to-face learning is not possible, learning from home options will be supported for short periods. For more info, visit nsw.gov.au/covid-19 The NSW Government is committed to ensuring school operations continue while prioritising the safety and wellbeing of students and school staff. |
