Sydney Covid: Decision on schools returning still up in the air

UPDATE: Sydney parents have awoken to the news that their children will begin term 3 via home schooling. Read on for all the details.

UPDATE

Sydney’s lockdown has been extended for a further week meaning parents will oversee their children’s virtual learning at home for at least the first week of term three.

Schools will remain open to cater for the children of essential workers and vulnerable families and no child will be turned away.

However, parents have been urged to keep their kids home if at all possible in order to reduce movements.

“As I said, the reason why it didn‘t resume in Greater Sydney in the next week … so we are reducing mobility, reducing people getting out of the house and unintentionally mingling and talking to each other, thinking it is safe to do so,” the premier said.

“With this strain we have seen a number of people spread the virus without symptoms and that‘s scary. So that’s why it is so important.”

“Every time you leave the house, please assume that you have the virus or that a loved one around you has the virus.”

“Please don‘t assume that you don’t have it and don’t assume the person you are exercising with or the person you are having to work with doesn’t have the virus and whilst the mask is a protection, it is only one of the lines of defence.”

Surry Hills mum Sophie Smyth said she was glad to have been given the certainty of being able to plan for her son Andy, 5, to do his kindergarten classes by virtual schooling next week.

As a qualified teacher, Ms Smyth had a few tips for other nervous parents.

“As Andy said, ‘lucky you’re a teacher mum’ but I think it might be a bit different teaching your own children,” Ms Smyth said.

“When you’re a teacher and parent, you always put the parent hat on first.

“Be patient, be in a good space before you try to do any school work and be present.

“The anxiety you feel when you’re rushed and feeling out of control will be immediately precipitated onto them.”

Ms Smyth said she planned to tackle Andy’s homeschooling in short, sharp bites and encouraged time poor parents to do the same.

“We’re going to do a little bit at a time but do it often,” Ms Smyth said.

“In these times we have to be giving lots of praise because I know when I’m frustrated that’s something I forget to do.”

EARLIER

Parents and guardians remain uncertain about whether they will have to face days or weeks of school at home as the NSW Government holds back on a final decision for another day.

At Tuesday’s Covid-19 press conference, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the government was still analysing data and awaiting the best advice from NSW Health about whether school would return next week.

Since the most recent Covid-19 outbreak in Sydney, students at St Charles Catholic Primary School in Waverley, South Coogee Public School, Rose Bay Public School and Rose Bay Secondary College have contracted Covid from various adult contacts.

“Of course the NSW Government appreciates the importance of restoring face-to-face teaching,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We appreciate the stresses that parents go through in particular with having students at home, and we consider that in our decision-making and it will behave based on the health advice.”

A spokeswoman for the Education Department only said “a plan is being finalised for release at the end of the week on how schools will be back”.

Cleaning workers outside Rose Bay Secondary College on June 29. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Despite persistent questions from media, Ms Berejiklian would not be drawn further on the likelihood of school returning next week.

“I think parents want us to make the right decision, and I want to assure all parents, but also every single citizen, that every time we make a decision, it is in the best interests of our citizens,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Parents and children and the teaching communities obviously want to hear from us but so do everyday day workers – so do people who rely on a number of things going a particular way, so I appreciate the angst and stress.”

The Premier said a decision would be announced tomorrow in order to allow parents and guardians time to make arrangements if students were required to remain at home.

South Coogee Public School was also deep-cleaned after two students tested positive. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Redfern resident Annette Tolhurst is eager to know whether her children will be returning to Surry Hills’ Bourke Street Public School for face-to-face learning next week.

Ms Tolhurst said she was hoping case numbers dropped to a point where medical experts were happy for school to resume as normal.

“I’m a bit torn from a practical point of view as I start a new job on Thursday and so I want them to go to school,” Ms Tolhurst said.

“But then there’s the contagiousness of this Delta strain and with kids you can’t rely on them with regards to social distancing and it’s a big burden on teachers.

“So on a practical level it’s going to make my life hell if school doesn’t go back but I honestly think the government has done a really good job of handling things so far.”

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaking at the daily press conference at St Leonards. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Adam Yip

Ms Tolhurst is the founder of the Keeping Your Local Alive Facebook group which boasts almost 1000 members and encourages her neighbours to support local small businesses during the pandemic.

She said what everyone, both parents and businesses, needed to know tomorrow was certainty and details.

“At the moment we don’t know what plans we need to make. Are they going to school? Not going to school? Do we need to organise care?” Ms Tolhurst said.

“I have an employer who is very flexible so I know they’d understand but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to experience.”