Updated health advice announced today will ensure that NSW public schools can continue to operate full time with face to face teaching and learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools remain safe, however, school communities must remain vigilant.

From Wednesday 19 August, all public schools in NSW will be required to adopt the changes to ensure school communities remain 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.

Under additional measures for Term 3:

• Students must remain within their relevant class or year group to limit mixing.
• Schools must not travel outside their local community or zone, including between rural and regional areas.
• Interschool sport and zone carnivals are 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.
• All group singing and or other chanting activities, as well as the use of wind instruments in group settings are not permitted.
• Dance activities and drama group work can continue under a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
• School formals, dances, graduation or other social events are 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.

Students and staff required to support HSC students are permitted to undertake activities to meet their HSC requirements with COVID-19 safety measures in place.

Organisations that use school buildings or grounds must have a COVID-19 safety plan in place and encourage strict compliance with that plan.

The new restrictions will complement existing health advice for schools, including maintaining good hand hygiene inside and outside the classroom, physical distancing for adults and banning non-essential school visitors.

Read our updated Advice for families.