COVID-19

COVID-19 school study

COVID-19

Information for parents regarding COVID-19.

We are acting on the advice of the WA Department of Health to take the necessary precautions for schools and staff.

All Western Australian public schools are being supported by the Department of Education to implement a plan in relation to COVID-19.

Vaccination bookings open for 5 to 11 year olds

Children aged 5 to 11 will be eligible to roll up for a COVID-19 vaccine from 10 January 2022, in line with expected vaccine supply from the Federal Government.

Bookings are required for this latest cohort, with parents being able to book their child in for a vaccination at a State-run clinic from 9:00am today (Friday 24 December) via VaccinateWA.

Children will also be able to get their vaccination in participating GPs and pharmacies across metropolitan and regional WA, parents are encouraged to call their GP clinic directly to make an appointment.

For more information, visit Roll up for WA.

Vaccination made easier for students

Young people can be vaccinated by their GP, at a pharmacy or at a WA Health vaccination clinic.

The easiest way to make an appointment is to by going online to Roll up for WA and selecting ‘book now’ to find a convenient location.

If your child is aged 16 years or over, they can walk in to designated timeslots at state-run COVID-19 vaccination clinics in both metropolitan and regional areas.

These clinics can be accessed after school and will be available during school holidays, with no appointment required.  

Information on the locations and times of these clinics can be found on the HealthyWA website at COVID-19 vaccination for secondary students and school staff.

We are working with a number of schools to deliver a staged rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination in schools. Priority schools will include residential, agricultural and boarding colleges, as well as education support settings with students 12 years of age and over.

If your child attends one of these education settings, your principal or college manager will provide you with further information. If your child already has a booking for a COVID-19 vaccination, we encourage you to proceed with that appointment rather than wait for the in-school program.

Children must have parent or carer consent to receive a vaccination in any education setting. You can download and print the COVID-19 vaccination consent form.

Current public schooling arrangements

The Department of Education remains committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of all students and staff. We continue to follow the advice of the WA Chief Health Officer and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) to take the necessary precautions related to COVID-19. More information is available from the WA Department of Health. 

All students are expected to attend school, except for those students medically referred to learn from home. This means students are either:

  • at school
  • unwell and should stay at home
  • medically referred to learn from home, or 
  • recorded as absent if they do not attend.

Physical distancing measures still apply, including one adult per two square metres (venue capacity) and maintaining 1.5 metres between adults, where possible.

Good hygiene practices should be promoted and maintained.

Parents/carers and visitors may access school sites at the discretion of the principal/site manager, with physical distancing and good hygiene practices applied.

Health and hygiene

The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. Arrangements are in place with regard to safety, to reduce direct contact, enhance personal hygiene practices, and strengthen cleaning regimes in our schools that are open outside of lockdown areas.

  • All schools will have cleaning staff working throughout the day to ensure all high-use areas, such as benchtops, desks, doorknobs, taps and handrails, are regularly cleaned and surfaces disinfected.
  • Playgrounds are open and play equipment will be cleaned once per day.
  • Supplies of soap and other cleaning agents are available for all schools.
  • Students and staff are encouraged to wash their hands as often as possible.
  • Schools can choose to implement staggered start and finish times to reduce contact.

Current national medical advice confirms that the two square metre rule and the 1.5 metre distancing between students during classroom activities is not required.

School closures

If there is a confirmed COVID-19 case at a school, the decision to close a school is based on the expert advice from the WA Health Department’s Chief Health Officer.

The Chief Health Officer will, if there has been a positive COVID-19 test result in a school, close the school temporarily while assessment and tracing of exposure is conducted. A thorough school clean will then be carried out to make the school safe for the return of students and staff.

In this situation, all families will be immediately contacted by the school and provided with the relevant information.

Travel

Interstate travel restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are in place.

Visit WA.gov.au to find out more about entering and travelling around WA, and quarantine requirements.

Curriculum support

The Learning at home website is available for additional learning resources, activities and information to help children and parents continue learning at home if needed. 

The Department of Education, Catholic Education Western Australia and the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia will continue to respond as a collaborative team to WA Department of Health advice and provide updated information to schools and staff as appropriate.

For more information

Please check back regularly to ensure the information you have is up to date.