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Schools must receive strict recommendations to ensure that end-of-year celebrations or performances are conducted in accordance with public health guidelines.
The new guidance from the Department of Education says that celebrating Christmas is important to support “the positive well-being of pupils and students in schools.”
However, he adds that current health and safety guidelines advise avoiding large school gatherings or groups such as choirs.
“Brass and wind instruments, including tin whistles and recorders, should not be played indoors due to the additional risk of infection posed by such activity,” he says.
“Outdoor classroom performances and other precautions, such as wind instrument moisture shields, can be considered as alternative options.”
While regular school assemblies should be avoided, he says class performances can be shared with other classes and parents using digital technologies.
“Parents / guardians should not be invited to attend end-of-term celebrations this year,” he says.
However, the Christmas song, while maintaining social distancing and within “groups” or groups of normal students, can be done outdoors.
“Unfortunately, parents / guardians will not be allowed to attend these outdoor events either,” he adds.
The guide notes that students often like to share Christmas cards and small gifts.
While this is allowed, it says it should be carried out in a “controlled manner, in a way that does not involve pupils / students moving and interacting outside of their normal groups or contacts.”
Any cards or gifts, he says, would ideally be given to a staff member directly and then distributed to students in a “controlled manner.”
“There should be a strong emphasis on hand hygiene at all times,” he adds.
In relation to end-of-term exams in post-primary schools, the guide says schools should consider taking them between groups of individual classes in their classrooms rather than in large assembly-style groups.
“Teachers are reminded that they can continue to handle notebooks or tests completed by students, but there should be a strong emphasis on hand hygiene at all times,” the guide says.
In the case of exams, schools must continue to implement all public health guidelines in terms of physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and disinfection to prevent and control the spread of Covid-19.
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