Skip to content
A NSW Government website – Education

School Sport Unit

Concussion

Version control: Updated April 2025

 

Definition of concussion

Concussion is defined as a form of mild traumatic brain injury that occurs as a result of a direct impact to the head or impact to the body that causes transmission of forces to the head and brain (Professor Gary J Browne, Concussive head injury in children and adolescents, 2016). A concussion may be caused by collision with another person or object that involves a direct or indirect force to the head, face, neck or elsewhere with a force transmitted to the head.

A child does not need to be knocked out (lose consciousness) to have concussion - 92% of concussion injuries do not involve any loss of consciousness.

Back to top

Response to a suspected concussion

The Concussion management tool provides a step-by-step process for department staff to follow if a student receives a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that causes jarring of the head or neck. It also outlines the reporting requirements based on any symptoms that may occur.

The Suspected concussion - medical follow up form is designed to facilitate the transfer of information from the school to the parent/carer of a student with a suspected concussion. It provides guidance on the immediate steps for the care of their child.

Back to top

Concussion management in first aid plans and risk assessments 

As per the department's First aid procedures all workplaces must a first aid plan. It is recommended that concussion responses be included as part of this plan.

Risk management for concussion depends on the specific activity and venue. It is recommended that mitigating the risk of concussion be included in all risk assessments.

Back to top

Concussion management statement

The concussion management statement in the 'permission must-haves' must be included in all parent/carer notifications and permission notes for school sport and physical activity. For more information on permission requirements, see school sport permissions. 

Back to top

Concussion recording and reporting

For a suspected concussion, both on and off school grounds, all school staff must:

In the RSSP, when students participate in department events that are not arranged or supervised by their school. The senior departmental officer appointed to coordinate the event:

  • takes on the line manager's responsibilities as outlined in the Incident Notification and Response Policy.
  • must keep a record of necessary actions and decisions made during the incident response and send it to the principal of the affected student's school. It is their responsibility to create and maintain these records.

Back to top

Returning to learning and sport and physical activity

Students returning to school after a concussion require teaching and learning adjustments to access educational content and resume sport and physical activity. They should have a personalised Concussion Action Plan (CAP) from their doctor or healthcare professional. It is recommended that the Learning and Support Team and classroom teachers collaborate with parents/carers and medical practitioners to implement a staged return to learning and sport.

Note: As per the concussion management statement, students with suspected concussion symptoms or a confirmed diagnosis cannot participate in vigorous or competitive school sports or physical activities for 21 days from the date of the incident without medical clearance.

Guiding resources to support the return to learning and sport and physical activity:

Back to top

Recognising and responding to concussion e-learning courses 

These online professional learning provides educators with an opportunity to develop their knowledge of recognising and responding to concussion. They have been created in collaboration with experts in the concussion field. 

Back to top