Reopening our post-primary schools - Archived

Guidance for August 2022 - Archived

Information for students, parents and families

Guidance and videos for parents and students are available on our Information for students, parents and families page.

Guidance for teaching, learning and assessment

Assessment Arrangements for Junior and Leaving Certificate 2022

COVID-19 Response plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of post-primary schools

Return-to-work form

This Return to Work Form must be completed by school staff in advance of returning to the workplace.

The importance and significance of ensuring educational facilities safely open to pupils, and remain safely open for pupils and staff, is acknowledged across society and supported within the Public Health Medical community and the health services at large.

• Students not attending school if they have symptoms (Multilingual)
• See the Health Protection Surveillance Centre's advice for educational settings.

Webinar for school principals

Advice for school principals on the steps they can take if notified of a positive case

Dr Abigail Collins has advice for School Principals on the steps they can take if told that a child or staff member test positive for COVID-19 and how soon HSE Public Health will be in touch.

For more information go to www.hse.ie/cvdcc

Other information

See below a paper prepared by the Office of the Clinical Director, Health Protection, HSE and a letter issued to schools.

Guidance on respiratory care in schools for children with tracheostomy who require suctioning while in school

Advice can be found on the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) website.

COVID-19 schools community testing pathway FAQ for schools

This leaflet was developed for school principals or designated contact person by the HSE in collaboration with the Department of Education:

Promoting the wellbeing of our school communities is a fundamental element of the department’s overall plan to ensure a successful return to school as we continue to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are living through exceptional times and this impacts on the wellbeing of everyone in different ways, at different times. People have been naturally worried about the risk to their physical health and that of their loved ones and have been challenged to varying degrees by the public health measures that were put in place in Ireland to control the spread of the virus, such as staying at home and school closures.

• View the full guidance on wellbeing for schools.
• View the wellbeing webinars for schools, toolkit and directory of CPD and online resources.

The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) for school staff provides advice to employees on a range of issues including wellbeing, legal, financial, bereavement, conflict and mediation. The EAS also provides advice and support to managers and delivers interventions to help them deal with health and wellbeing issues in the workplace.

The Department of Education NEPS psychologists have developed the following advice and resources for parents, students and school staff as they return to school following school closure due to COVID-19, see NEPS advice and resources during COVID-19.

The department has created a range of training and resource materials for use in schools.

See posters for the reopening of schools.

See guidelines and procedures issued to post-primary schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes curriculum and assessment guidance, school management guidance and Department of Education circulars and information notes related to COVID-19.

COVID-19 FAQ for school principals or designated contact person

This leaflet was developed for school principals or designated contact person by the HSE in collaboration with the Department of Education:

Guidance on key issues relating to school reopening

Here is some guidance on key issues relating to school reopening that schools and parents may find helpful in answering some of their questions:

Back to school – frequently raised topics

HSE Reports