Back to School - Ministry of Education

Schools will remain open at all traffic light settings.

As has always been the case throughout the COVID-19 response, some children, students or staff may be required to self-isolate (as they are a confirmed case or a close contact or have complex medical needs), particularly if not fully vaccinated, and therefore may not attend onsite for a period of time.

Schools cannot require evidence of a child’s vaccination status. Nor can a child be excluded from education outside the classroom (EOTC) based on vaccination status.

Masks
The Government confirmed that masks (not face coverings) will be required at Red for children Years 4 to 13 and all staff when indoors. This requirement will take effect from 11.59pm on Thursday 3rd February. 
 
The Government is also now requiring that a face covering be an actual mask. That means no more scarves, bandannas, or t-shirts pulled up over the face, for example. This is to ensure that it is a mask designed to cover your nose and mouth properly.
 
It is also now recommended that masks be a medical-grade mask (for example a Type IIR/Level2 masks or above). These include the widely available ‘blue’ medical-grade masks that many New Zealanders are already wearing.

Click here for information and a video that may help explain to young children how to safely put a mask on and remove it.  

No non-essential visitors should be onsite at Red level. Non-curriculum related events can only go ahead if the school is using the My Vaccine Pass (this applies to all attendees, including students).

Maintaining a physical distance from others, particularly people you don’t know, continues to be an effective measure to reduce risk of infection.
 
There will be grouping of students when at Red, so that wherever possible they do not intermingle with other groups (keeping a minimum of one-metre distance between groups). There is no physical distancing requirement between group members, only between groups.

To minimise congestion, parents and caregivers should be encouraged to do drop offs and pick-ups from outside the school grounds. Some will still need to come onsite, for example to settle in a new entrant into class.  They must wear face coverings in these instances and should be encouraged to remain physically distant from others, especially when indoors.

Good hygiene and cleaning 
Continue using and encouraging good hygiene practices including:
-regular hand washing/sanitising​
-cough and sneeze etiquette
-regular cleaning of high touch surfaces
-open doors and windows.

Stay home if sick and get tested 
Tamariki, students or staff members with COVID-19 symptoms should get a COVID-19 test and remain at home until a negative result is received and they are symptom free for 24 hours.

Parents and caregivers are required to be vaccinated if they are undertaking work for your school, including voluntary work, and may have contact with children or students when carrying out that work or will be present at a time when children and students are also present.

Other mitigations to minimise risk 
Having all staff and volunteers being vaccinated is significant mitigation of risk. Other health and safety measures are in place to help keep those on-site as safe as possible. For example:
-treating all parents and caregivers coming onsite to support their child’s learning, as unvaccinated
-at Red, asking non-essential visitors not to come onsite
-not holding events and activities, including those that bring parents and caregivers on site (that is, more than 100)
-asking that all visitors must wear a face covering
-all staff to wear a face mask when meeting with visitors, including parents and caregivers
-physical distancing of two metres is recommended where practicable
-consider whether engagement with parents and caregivers can be held outside rather than inside
-hold meetings which do need to go ahead via Zoom, Teams or similar
-if it is necessary to meet onsite, ensure the room being used is spacious and well ventilated
-ensure hand sanitiser is available indoors
-anyone who is not feeling well should not come onto the school site. 

What is available now:
Online teaching and learning resources for teachers, parents and students (this includes materials you can print and use in hard copy):
Learning from home
Kauwhata Reo