South Coast school students could return to face-to-face learning much sooner than their city counterparts.
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If stay at home orders are lifted in a local government area (LGA) or region before October 25, students living in those areas could return to classrooms under a range of COVID-safe measures.
The South Coast, including Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega Valley, will remain in an extended statewide lockdown under stay-at-home orders until September 10 when it will be reviewed.
A staggered plan for a return to school across NSW was revealed Friday, August 27 by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell.
In a joint statement, the Premier outlined a range of measures for a return to school in a COVID-safe way.
What is the return to school plan?
When stay-at-home rules are still in place, but other community vaccination and transmission conditions are met, students will return to school in a staged way, the Department of Education said.
The "staged plan" for affected schools aims for a return to face-to-face learning which will begin from October 25.
Students will return to face-to-face learning with NSW Health approved COVID safe settings on school sites in the following order:
- From October 25 - Kindergarten and Year 1
- From November 1 - Year 2, 6 and 11
- From November 8 - Year 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10
- Year 12 students are already able to return in a limited way and this will continue for the remainder of term 3. From October 25, year 12 will have full time access to school campuses and their teachers.
If stay at home orders are lifted in an LGA or region before October 25, all students living or learning in that area will return to face to face learning under the Department's COVID-safe schools framework.
If cases in certain LGAs increase significantly, learning from home will resume for that LGA until case numbers drop.
HSC exams will be delayed until November 9 with a revised timetable and guidelines for a COVID-safe HSC to be released by NESA in early September.
Vaccinations for all school staff across all sectors will be mandatory from November 8.
The return to school comes as Australia's vaccine advisory group ATAGI recommended children aged 12 to 15 the receive Pfizer vaccine.
"The return to school plan provides parents, teachers and students with certainty and a path forward for the return to face-to-face learning," Ms Berejiklian said.
"We know the last few months have been tough on the school community and we are deeply grateful to parents, teachers and students for the sacrifices you have made. Please continue to protect our students by getting vaccinated as quickly as possible."
The state records 882 new cases of COVID-19 and two deaths to 8pm Thursday night.
Of the 882 new cases today, three were acquired overseas.
There are 767 people in hospital, 117 in ICU and 47 on ventilators.
There were 143,000 vaccinations administered in the 24 hours to 8pm yesterday.
On Thursday, NSW extended the lockdown in regional NSW until September 10, despite Deputy Premier John Barilaro telling regional media earlier in the week COVID free areas had a good case for release.
Following the announcement Mr Barilaro said the Shepparton outbreak and cases in the northern Riverina contributed to the need to keep the state locked down.
"When we mapped it, there was a threat on that border, we took that into account, we took into account what was happening with a couple of exposure sites, especially in Temora," he said.
"There are parts of the state that are clean and could argue quickly why we should open their borders, but when you did it against the broader map a lot of it was closed or impacted.
"Therefore it's an easier message, easier for compliance and it's a precautionary measure to make sure we don't have an outbreak, that's why the two-week extension."
The Premier also announced fully vaccinated residents would be allowed more freedom from September 13.
This includes outdoor gatherings of up to five people (including children) within a person's local government area or within 5km of home into another LGA. But all adults must be vaccinated.