IRISH GOVERNMENT
Reopening Primary and Special Schools SafelyAs the vaccine is rolled out for COVID-19, each community is going to need support in charting a path to safely and responsibly reopen schools crucial to the well-being and vitality of our communities. Our government will be with you every step of the way.
1
March 2021
Special schools at 100% capacity
Junior and senior infants, 1st and 2nd class to return to school
Final year Leaving Certificate classes to return to school
8
March 2021
Resumption of the ECCE programme and return to school of ECCE-age children
15
March 2021
3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class return to school at primary level
5th year post-primary students to return to school
29
March 2021
Early learning and care, and school-age childcare services to reopen
12
April 2021
1st to 4th years post-primary return to school
Note
Where contingency arrangements are required to make up for time lost due to unforeseen school closures, a school authority may reduce the length of the Easter break by remaining open up to and including Wednesday 31st March 2021.
30
Extended to 30June 2021
Pandemic Unemployment Payment
Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme
COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit
Covid Restrictions Support Scheme
Suspension of redundancy provisions
Commercial rates waiver
Covid 19 response plan
The Board of Management/Education and Training Board aims to facilitate the resumption of school-based teaching and learning and the return to the workplace of staff.
The return to the workplace must be done safely and in strict adherence to the public health advice and any guidance issued by the Department of Education.
Details for the safe reopening of the school facility and the applicable controls are outlined in this document.
Control Measures
One of the key messages to manage the risks of COVID-19 is to do everything practical to avoid the introduction of COVID-19 into the school.
If the infection is NOT introduced it cannot be spread.
The risk of spreading the infection once introduced exists in all interpersonal interactions; student-student, teacher-teacher and teacher-student and must be managed in all settings.
CLEANING OF THE SCHOOLS
The Department of Education will provide additional funding to schools to support the enhanced cleaning required to minimise the risks of COVID-19. Details of the funding supports will be provided to schools by way of circular and will be updated as required. The funding will be provided in advance of reopening.
The specific advice in relation to school cleaning is set out in the HSPC health advice for schools and will be covered in the induction training. This advice sets out the cleaning regime required to support schools to prevent COVID-19 infections and the enhanced cleaning required in the event of a suspected case of COVID-19.
Schools are asked to carefully read and understand the cleaning advice and to apply that to all areas of the school as appropriate.
Schools are reminded to take particular care of the hygiene arrangements for hand washing and toilet facilities.
SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
For children with special educational needs (SEN) maintaining physical distancing in many instances will not be practical or appropriate to implement. The focus should, therefore, be on emphasising that parents/guardians should have a heightened awareness of signs, symptoms or changes in baseline which suggests illness/COVID-19 infection.
Where symptoms are present – children should not attend school.
Similarly, staff should be aware of their responsibility not to attend work if they develop signs or symptoms of respiratory illness
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Get In Touch
Constituency Office:
The Hub, St Brendan Street, Portumna, Co. Galway
Cross Street, Athenry, Co. Galway
Telephone: ☎️ 0909759695
Email: anne.rabbitte@oireachtas.ie
