NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant met with the independent school sector on Wednesday to work through the details of their sporting activities, a NSW Health spokesperson said.

Loading

The Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of NSW (GPS) will resume its winter sports on Saturday, after NSW Health determined there was no requirement for its member schools to follow the same zonal boundaries applied to public schools.

St Joseph’s headmaster Chris Hayes said the change brought him “great pleasure” and while spectators were not allowed, football games would continue to be livestreamed.

Students will be dropped off and picked up by parents outside school grounds, and all schools will participate, despite speculation Sydney Boys’ High School could be subject to different restrictions because it is a government school.

“It’s a fabulous story and the AAGPS has never been more united through what is the most challenging year in its history,” GPS executive officer Nigel Price said.

Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney was also advised the sector’s school sport competitions could be run within its own local boundaries.

Loading

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health and overall wellbeing of many school students and sport can be a very positive outlet,” Mr McInerney said.

In a letter to Mr McInerney, Dr Chant said there was no requirement for Catholic schools to follow the same zonal boundaries a public schools and that competitions limited to the northern beaches, for example, would be consistent with health advice.

“I suggest that whatever configuration of interschool activity is planned, it simply adheres to the same principle of avoidance of large numbers, minimising the number of schools that interact, and that the schools that do so are reasonably proximate to each other,” she wrote.

“Competitions may run across local government areas within ‘regions’, but if there are enough teams or players within one LGA a more local competition should be considered.”

But heads from the Associated Schools of NSW competition (CAS) – which involves independent schools such as Barker, Trinity and Waverley College – have cancelled the CAS athletics championship.

Chair Phillip Heath said the association had made the decision reluctantly but that schools would seek to resume summer sports within the guidelines.

The Independent Girls’ Schools Sporting Association (IGSSA), which includes 31 schools, also cancelled its term three athletics carnival but has reorganised Saturday netball and hockey competitions into a regionalised format so they can continue.

Schools have been allocated into one of four Sydney regions which are closely aligned to government zones, with schools outside those regions banned and no spectators allowed.

A spokesperson for NSW Health said it had provided updated advice to all school communities and community sports organisations to minimise the risk of community transmission of COVID-19.

“All sporting competitions should run within local communities wherever possible, and should not include travel between regional NSW and Sydney metropolitan areas,” they said.