Dear parents/guardians,

The Government has accepted NPHET’s review of the remaining public health measures and restrictions in school settings. 

The infection prevention control measures and restrictions in school settings have changed from today, February 28th.

Continued use of good infection prevention and control measures such as hand washing, respiratory hygiene, and ventilation is advised.

In general, schools should now resume normal school routines and normal teaching and learning. This school will now resume these normal routines and normal teaching and learning. 

The following new measures or changes now apply from today (unless stated):

1. The requirement to stay at home if you have symptoms remains – for students and staff alike. 
2. Pupils who show any Covid symptoms while at school will isolate in their classrooms. The class teacher will contact home via Dojo or via a phone call through the office. You will be required to collect you child from the front door of the school.  
3. The school will continue to promote hand washing and hand sanitising. 
4. Enhanced cleaning in the school will continue, to minimise the risks of Covid-19.
5. It is no longer a requirement for staff or pupils to wear a face covering/mask in school. Staff and pupils can continue to wear a face covering/mask if they wish to do so on a personal basis. 
6. The wearing of face coverings/masks on school transport will no longer be mandatory but will continue to be advised. 
7. As the general requirement for physical distancing in society no longer applies, schools are no longer required to maintain class pods or bubbles. 
8. The full return to team teaching, sports (PE), singing and music, after school clubs and inter school activities is now permitted. 
9. Arrival times will continue to be from 8.45am to 9am and pupils will continue to enter the building. 
10. Staggered dismissal times will end from Wednesday, March 2nd. From Wednesday, Infants will finish at 1.40pm and all other classes will finish at 2.40pm. 
11. All pupils from 3rd upwards can continue to walk home as per current practice.
12. The school advises parents that they should still keep visits to the school to essential visits only and can continue to communicate with the school via Dojo, email or phone. 
13. Antigen tests for primary schools are still available. Participation continues to be voluntary. Contact details: 1800 110055 or www.hse.ie/schooltest
14. Children who are well – including children who are household contacts – should continue to come to school whether they participate in antigen testing or not. 
15. Pupils who are Covid positive should isolate at home for seven days and wear a mask for 10 days. This means that a pupil may need to wear a mask for another three days on return to school after the seven-day isolation period. 
16. Public health risk assessments are no longer in place for mainstream or special classes attached to mainstream.

Sincere thanks to all families for the unbelievable effort to implement Covid-19 measures over the past two years. The full end is not here yet, but it is in sight.

More information on some of the measures above may be communicated over the coming days and weeks, and if you have any queries please get in touch.

Regards.