Parents sent NSW Health email reminding them no social distancing at school ahead of classroom return

Parents have been reminded there will be no need for social distancing for students at school in an email sent days before millions of children return to classrooms in NSW.

Emails sent out by schools across the state this evening include a full rundown of government health guidelines.

Parents have been told social distancing is a priority for staff and parents, but was not expected for children attending school.

NSW parents must send their children to school from Monday and have been told it is against the law if they do not.

"Unexplained absences will be followed up," Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said, as she insisted schools were safe places.

Other information given to parents to help them prepare includes staggering pick up and drop off times, where families must stand in squares at 1.5m distance.

Water bottles will be required because the bubblers will not be available.

And despite not having to follow social distancing guidelines, students must follow good hygiene practices like regularly washing hands, avoiding sharing drinks and food, and making sure they cough or sneeze into their elbows or a tissue.

The only students permitted to miss school are those with medical certificates and who are currently unwell.

What children can do:

• Use the school library

• Engage in non-contact sporting activities

• Year 11 and 12 students may attend classes/activities relating to subjects available on other campuses

• VET work placement for Year 12 students is able to proceed from 1 June 2020. Year 10 and 11 work-placement is able to proceed from Term 3 2020.

• School based apprenticeships and traineeships can recommence once the relevant workplaces are back in operation

• Trade Training Centres can operate on school sites.

What students can't do:

• School assemblies (unless for critical information)

• School incursions and excursions including camps

• Work experience

• Inter-school activities (debating, inter-school sport)

• In-school activities requiring parent or other volunteers

• Use hydrotherapy pools

• Drink from a water bubbler – bring a water bottle instead

• Students cannot attend TAFE for study but may continue to learn online

A huge delivery of 550,000 health and safety items has been dispatched to NSW schools, ahead of this week's staggered start of face-to-face teaching and expected coronavirus outbreaks.

The military-sized consignment includes more than 40,000 bottles of hand sanitiser, 20,000 bars of soap and 20,000 toilet rolls.

Temperature checking hand guns will also be available, in an effort to monitor and detect what appears to be near certain cluster outbreaks at some schools.

Additional cleaning of classrooms, staffrooms, playgrounds and common areas had been arranged at 2200 public schools, Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said.

"All of these measures are in place to ensure that our schools are as safe as possible.