School sports activities, including indoor and outdoor pools for student specified activities, are allowed to proceed from 1 November 2021 for the rest of Term 4.

Royal Life Saving NSW welcomes the update from the NSW Department of Education, providing another avenue for students to get back in the water and refresh their water safety skills.

Students are allowed to participate in the below activities whilst following COVID-19 protocols that align with NSW Public Health Orders and the Reopening NSW roadmap:

• Indoor pools: school swimming and water safety lessons, swimming squads, lap swimming and rehabilitation

• Outdoor pools: swimming lessons and recreational purposes

The same requirements still apply for access to pool facilities:

• Students aged 16 and older (and staff) must be fully vaccinated to enter public indoor pool facilities until 1 December and will be required to show proof of vaccination status to facility staff on arrival.

• Students in Year 7 and above (and staff) must wear masks indoors at all times when not exercising, including in change rooms and bathroom facilities.

• Third-party providers are allowed to support swimming activities if they are fully vaccinated and must check in and check out using the school’s QR Code if held on a school site or the venue’s QR code if held outside of the school.

• If transport is required, mixing and mingling between cohorts must be minimised. Masks are required on buses for staff and students in Year 7 and above and are strongly encouraged for primary students.

With summer around the corner, now is the perfect time to get your class back in the water and refresh their water safety skills.

Read more on the Department of Education website: School sport activities (nsw.gov.au)