We have been in touch with the team responsible for updating and communicating the Covid information for schools.
Here are a few key points and clarifications based on the types of questions we (Physical Education New Zealand and the Ministry) have been discussing, that might help you in your planning.

Physical education

Exercising must be held outdoors. Physical education lessons, therefore, must be taken outside.
At RED, it is good practice to wear a mask when teaching outside. Students are not required to wear theirs.
The general guidance in this space suggests that you don’t need to wear one during strenuous exercise but you should be physical distancing.

Physical distancing is not possible in some sporting and physical education activities. In these situations, extra emphasis on handwashing and drying before and after activities.

• Lessons outside should be limited to one class in a space at a time.
• Set up routines for students to wash or sanitise their hands before and after physical education lessons and using shared equipment.

• If your school has a gymnasium, it can still be used for non-physical activity lessons, for one class at a time.
• If you can, open the doors and windows to keep the space well ventilated.

• Consider setting up one-way systems for gym and changing room entrances and exits, staggering class start and finish times to reduce the risk of classes mingling. In the event of transmission, this will make contact tracing easier, and reduce the risk of having multiple classes away from school isolating.

• It can be difficult to keep students separated during swimming lessons and voices are often raised, increasing the risk of transmission so we recommend against class lessons in indoor school swimming pools.

School athletics and swimming sports

You will need to group your students when at Red, so that wherever possible they do not intermingle with other classes/groups (keep a minimum of one-metre distance between groups). This is particularly important in primary settings where vaccination rates will be much lower than in secondary settings.

There is no physical distancing requirement between group members, only between groups.

• If you choose to hold your school athletics day during RED, we recommend that instead of grouping the students from multiple classes according to the interzone or interschool qualifying age group categories, to keep them in their class groups. In the event of transmission, this will make contact tracing easier, and reduce the risk of having multiple classes away from school isolating. The class and a teacher should move around all the activities together. Ensure that any shared equipment, eg balls, discuss, relay batons, crash pads, etc are cleaned between class groups.

You should not bring together large groups of students indoors.

• Swimming sports in indoor pools should be rescheduled to another time in the year.
• The gymnasium can still be used – but with only one class at a time – and not for activities where the students are running around.

As we know with COVID-19, things can change quickly, so we recommend to always refer to the Covid 19 website for the most up to date information and guidelines.

Essential links are:
• Ministry of Education’s Advice for schools and kura at RED webpage
• Ministry of Education Bulletin for School leaders – Covid updates
• COVID-19 Protection Framework (CPF) – Guidance for schools and kura
• Unite Against Covid 19 Alert levels and updates
• Unite Against Covid 19 Education guidance