Schools, before and after school care and childcare providers will remain open for children of essential workers or for students in vulnerable circumstances.

Independent schools will have a pupil-free day on Friday before starting remote learning on Monday.

Catholic systemic schools will have two pupil-free days on Friday and Monday to begin remote learning on Tuesday.

ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said public school teachers would spend the lockdown week preparing for a transition to remote learning with no remote learning issued.

"From tomorrow, if you can keep your children at home, you must keep your children at home," Ms Berry said.

"If you are an essential worker, if you are experiencing vulnerability, or if for some other reason you can't keep your children at home, then your children can still attend the local public school.

"Public school teachers will spend this period of time moving and planning for and transitioning to remote education, should they be required after this initial lockdown period.

"This means that normal schooling won't happen during this week."

Teachers and school staff must wear masks if they are attending school during the lockdown period.

Students who are aged 12 years and over must also wear a mask on campus.

Ms Berry encouraged public school families to access the home learning resources via the ACT Education Directorate website during the lockdown week.

She said public schools would be checking with families over coming days to make sure they have access to devices and internet services.

Catholic systemic schools will have two pupil-free days on Friday and Monday to allow teachers to prepare to start remote learning on Tuesday.

Catholic secondary school students are on an pupil-free day today because teachers are involved in moderation day.

Catholic primary schools and out of school hours care will continue to operate to normal times this afternoon.

Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese director Ross Fox said it was important to note that remote learning was different to normal classroom practice and so expectations needed to be adjusted.

"It's not going to be the same quality as in-person learning because we don't do it as much and there are constraints, but I'm confident ... our teachers and schools are working really hard to provide a really good experience given the circumstances," Mr Fox said.

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Mr Fox said children of essential workers would be supervised at school if needed.

He said Catholic schools will be in active communication with families and support their technology needs.

Independent schools in the ACT will be switching to remote learning from Monday, with supervision for children of essential workers.

Association of Independent Schools of the ACT executive director Andrew Wrigley said schools were well-prepared for the lockdown and would be marking the rolls at usual time on Monday morning.

"One of the capacities of independent schools are that they are agile, they are the school themselves, and they are able to respond in a relatively short period of time to demands that are placed upon them," he said.

Mr Wrigley said independent schools had been working with the Education Directorate and each other to share information and resources.

He said the students who needed to attend campus would be doing the same work as those learning remotely from home.

He said the welfare of students would take precedence over their academic performance.

"We don't want anyone to feel isolated or feel like they're left behind."

Schools in NSW council areas surrounding the ACT remain at level two restrictions, meaning students can attend school but are encouraged to wear masks if they are 13 years or older.

Restriction on excursions and gatherings remain in place for regional NSW schools not in lockdown areas.

Public, Catholic and independent schools have been preparing for the possibility of a lockdown and a return to remote learning.

Principals have been advising teachers to take their laptops and materials home each day and to test their online platforms in recent weeks.

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"I just want to reassure all of our school families and our public schools and across all schools in every sector that our teachers have been preparing for this moment," Ms Berry said.

"None of us obviously expected it to occur so soon, and none of us really wanted to be in the space but we are. We are fully prepared and our teachers are ready to move to remote learning, should that circumstance arise."

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