Covid-19: NI schools to restart homework clubs and after-school sports

Breakfast and homework clubs and outdoor after-school sports can begin again, according to new guidance from the Education Minister Peter Weir.

Mr Weir said education had now moved to stage three of the executive's pathway for the easing of restrictions.

Indoor singing and sports - apart from PE classes - and sports fixtures between schools are still not allowed.

The change in restrictions has been outlined in a letter from the minister to school principals.

All pupils in Northern Ireland returned to school on 12 April, some for the first time since before Christmas.

Mr Weir said that schools were now allowed to provide "wrap-around care for pupils with immediate effect".

"This includes the provision of care both before and after school, for example the provision of breakfast clubs and after school care such as homework clubs," he said.

Other after-school clubs and activities are not allowed to begin again yet - apart from sport.

"In relation to the provision of extra-curricular school sports, regulations have been amended to permit the resumption of outdoor extra-curricular schools' sports with immediate effect," Mr Weir wrote.

The minister said that there was no limit to the number of players or participants in after-school sports, but relevant safety measures had to be in place.

"Both indoor and outdoor PE continue to be permitted during normal school hours, however, it is recommended this should take place outdoors wherever possible," Mr Weir said.

But indoor after-school sport or playing matches against other schools is not yet allowed.

The ban on indoor singing remains in place, although some restrictions on indoor music have been removed.

Singing and playing wind instruments, such as recorders or flutes, and brass instruments, such as trumpets, is currently banned indoors in schools.

Hundreds of musicians and music teachers have called for that to be overturned.

But Mr Weir said that singing and the playing of woodwind and brass instruments could be "more likely to facilitate transmission of the virus".

However, he said some restrictions were being removed for pupils studying GCSE, AS or A-level music.

"Pupils taking a practical music assessment for GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications that requires singing or the playing of a woodwind or brass instrument will now be permitted to do so indoors," he said.

"This can be done providing suitable mitigations are in place such as ensuring suitable social distancing and that rooms are well ventilated."

He also said that the Education Authority was reviewing a decision not to allow face-to-face music tuition from its music service to take place in schools.