The position of the federal and state governments on whether to send children to school in term two while coronavirus social distancing rules are in force has many parents confused.

Throughout March the Morrison government opposed school closures on the basis of medical advice, but the issue was forced by Victoria bringing forward its school holidays, and other states and territories introducing pupil-free days to prepare for online learning.

Now, with holidays ending and health results showing the spread of coronavirus has slowed, the national cabinet, states and territories are revisiting their guidance about whether to continue learning at home or send children to school.

What do the federal government and national cabinet say?

On 9 April the federal education minister, Dan Tehan, ordered independent schools to reopen. On 12 April, he said the federal government “wants all schools open”.

Tehan noted states and territories had “put in place different arrangements”. “But what the nationally consistent approach is, when it comes to parents who have to work and vulnerable children, schools have to be open and have to make sure that they provide a safe learning environment for those children.”

On 15 April Scott Morrison posted a video on Facebook, in which he thanked teachers for keeping schools open, and said it was “so important that children are able to keep going physically to school”.

On 16 April the national cabinet declared that education was best delivered in the classroom but states run their education systems based on their own advice, so states are still free to pursue different approaches.

NSW

Term two dates: 27 April–3 July

Position on schools: State schools have remained open but in-person attendance fell to 5% in the first week of April after the NSW government encouraged parents to have their children study at home if they were able.

On 21 April the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced planned for a phased return to face-to-face learning starting on week three of term two, from 11 May.

“Under these changes … every student will be attending school for one day a week,” she said.

“We will look to increase the number of days students are at school in a staged way and hope to have all children back at school full-time by term 3.”

At first, about a quarter of a school’s students are expected to be on site at any one time, with individual schools expected to tell parents when their child should attend.

Victoria

Term two dates: 14 April–26 June

The first day of term two was a student-free day. Students were still expected to start from Wednesday 15 April.

Position on schools: On 7 April the Victorian government advised that “most students will be educated from home when term two starts to ensure physical distancing helps slow the spread of coronavirus”. Free internet access and laptops will be provided for students who need them.

Onsite learning will only be available for children whose parents cannot work from home and vulnerable students without access to a suitable learning environment.

On 15 April the state’s chief medical officer, Brett Sutton, said on Twitter his advice to the Victorian government “was and continues to be that to slow the spread of coronavirus, schools should undertake remote learning for term two”.

But he added: “Schools are not ‘dangerous places’ and parents should feel comfortable sending their kids to school – if they need to. But the mix of onsite & offsite learning supports better physical distancing overall, reducing risk as we drive new cases down. As risk changes, we’ll reassess.”

Queensland

Term two dates: 20 April–26 June

Position on schools: On 13 April, the Queensland government announced that for the first five weeks of term two, from 20 April to 22 May, the state would use remote learning or learning from home. The education minister, Grace Grace, said the government would re-evaluate around 15 May.

Children of essential workers can continue to attend in person because schools will remain open.

School staff, unless they were vulnerable due to medical conditions, would continue to teach from the classroom so they had access to school resources to deliver online learning, she said.

ACT

Term 2 dates: 28 April–3 July

Position on schools: ACT public schools prepared to move to remote learning in term two, with most public school students expected to undertake their learning from home.

For parents and carers who cannot keep their children at home, due to work or additional needs, the ACT government will provide supervision at a reduced number of public school sites.

On 23 April the education minister, Yvette Berry, said schools would spend the next four weeks preparing to transition back to face-to-face learning.

“[Four] weeks ago today our community was planning for a very very long time in isolation,” she said. “It was looking like months. At least one term of school. Possibly longer.”

“But things are changing fast as we navigate our way through this pandemic together. It’s constant. And we are changing with it as the circumstances change.”

“We don’t know the time frame at this stage for when ACT schools will transition to face-to-face.”

South Australia

Term two dates: 27 April–3 July

Position on schools: In South Australia, the advice of the chief public health officer is that schools, preschools and early childhood services should remain open. Parents can choose to keep their children at home.

The education department has written to parents ahead of term three urging them to send their children to school but accepting that if they “don’t feel comfortable … for whatever reason” they are not obliged to.

Western Australia

Term 2 dates: 29 April–3 July

Position on schools: From 26 March, families were encouraged to keep children at home, if they could access the online or other resources for their education to continue. School holidays began at the Easter weekend.

On 17 April the government announced a “soft term two opening”. All public schools will be open, with year 11 and 12 students “strongly encouraged to attend” although parents can choose whether or not to send their kids to school.

For those students who learn at home, distance education packages and resources, including online resources where possible, will be provided so all students can continue to learn.

The arrangements will be reviewed before the start of week four (18 May).

Tasmania

Term two dates: 28 April–3 July

Position on schools: Teachers are preparing to continue delivering learning from home, but parents are advised that “if you have to send your children to school, we will continue to provide a safe environment for them and support their learning”.

Northern Territory

Term two dates: Begins 20 April.

Position on schools: Unless a school contacts parents directly with alternative arrangements, children are to physically attend school. Exceptions can be made for parents who have informed the school their child will be learning from home.