Post lockdown return to school

Year K to 12 students in the Hilltops will only return to school in a staggered return if the NSW Government extends current stay-at-home orders.

Member for Cootamundra, Steph Cooke said if stay-at-home orders are lifted from an LGA then all students within that specified LGA, can return to the classroom under the Department’s COVID-Safe schools framework.

It was announced last week that the staggered student return face-to-face learning would be term 4 and in this order:

Kindergarten and Year 1: from 25 October
Year 2, 6 and 11: from 1 November
Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10: from 8 November

Year 12 students are already able to return in a limited way and this will continue for the remainder of term 3.

From 25 October, Year 12 students will have full-time access to school and contact with their teachers.

Year 12 HSC exams are put back until November 9 to allow sufficient time for all necessary COVID-Safe exam settings to be put in place.

A revised timetable and guidelines for a COVID-safe HSC will be released by NESA in the next couple of weeks.

Ms Cooke commended all Year 12 students and their teachers, who have persevered through the challenges of remote learning over the past two years.

“It is important to keep in mind that the delay of the HSC exams will not disadvantage NSW students when applying to university or getting full-time jobs,” Ms Cooke said.

All students eligible for a vaccine will be strongly encouraged by the government to book an appointment with students aged 12-15 to be a priority if they become eligible for a vaccine.

• Topics:

• Covid-19
• Education
• Lockdown