Sydney’s private schools set their own Covid safe rules

Public schools will have students return to class from October 18 but some of the city’s most expensive private schools are making their own rules.

Sydney’s private schools have announced their own alterations to the government’s return to school road map — including offering remote learning for the remainder of the year — because they are worried about outbreaks among unvaccinated students coinciding with Year 12 leaving exams.

Trinity Grammar in the city’s inner west will forbid Year 12 students from returning to school at all this year despite the government bringing forward the return to school weeks before HSC exams are due to commence.

Headmaster of the $37,030 a year school Timothy Bowden said he deliberated over the decision but ultimately said the health of students taking the International Baccalaureate exams from October 25 trumped trying to allow other students to attend class one last time.

Trinity Grammar School in Summer Hill.

“The benefits could include the opportunity to see friends and staff, to have a chance to come back to classes for a final time (while knowing that it is the final time), and to continue preparations for the examinations,” he said.

“However, the potential cost weighed more heavily. If one of the boys was infected or became infectious because of that return, it would potentially prevent many members of the cohort from attempting their examinations … we deemed that this risk was not worth taking”.

Under the official government road map to reopening, public schools must begin normal schooling for students in Kindergarten and Year 1 and Year 12 on October 18 with all other year groups returning to school on October 25.

At Wahroonga on the north shore, Knox Grammar will adhere to that timeline but will send boys in Year 7-10 back to online learning for three days in November so those sitting HSC exams have enough space to socially distance.

In Sydney’s east, St Vincent’s College in Potts Point principal Anne Fry said they would delay the return to face-to-face teaching by a week to give students aged between 12-15 years of age an opportunity to be vaccinated.

“I believe achieving the highest possible vaccination rate is the best way forward,” she told The Daily Telegraph.

St Vincent’s College in Potts Point. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Other schools including Newington, Waverley College, Barker and Moriah said they would have all students back in class in line with the government’s plan of October 25.

Waverley College Principal Graham Leddie said they would also see students return back by that date.

“Our staff are 100 per cent double vaccinated and we have been encouraging parents and students for the past few months to get vaccinated to ensure our school community can be as safe as possible,” he said.

That was also the case for students at The Scots College in Bellevue Hill. Principal Dr Ian Lambert said students could learn from home for the remainder of the school year.

“Some families are in rural NSW, interstate or overseas, while other families may not feel comfortable to return to on-campus learning just yet,” he said.

“The Scots College will continue to provide home-based learning support for all year groups for the remainder of the school year.”