Sydney school reinstates remote learning after staff and one student test positive to Covid-19

Hundreds of students at a Sydney school have been sent home for the rest of the week after a number of staff and a single child contracted Covid-19.

A Sydney girl’s school has been accused of hitting the “panic button”, after hundreds of students were sent home over a handful of Covid cases.

The principal of Tangara School for Girls in Cherrybrook sent a letter to parents informing them that students from Years 7 to 11 would need to return to remote learning for the rest of the week.

The letter, which was sent to 2GB’s Ben Fordham by a “worried” parent, indicated that one-third of the secondary staff members at the school had tested positive to Covid-19 over the weekend.

“At this stage, there is only one confirmed case of COVID-19 amongst our secondary students,” the note read.

Despite just one student testing positive, the school has made the decision to move kids in Years 7 to 11 to remote learning to “avoid the risk of further transmission”.

This arrangement will stay in place for the next four days or “until further notice”.

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Tangara School for Girls in Cherrybrook has sent its senior students back to remote learning for the rest of the week. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Parents have been advised to “closely monitor” their children for any symptoms and test them for the virus.

Fordham noted that Tangara has about 600 students, telling listeners there was “no guarantee” that the girls will be able to return to the classroom next week.

“You can understand why some parents are thinking ‘Oh please, not again’. That’s why one of them has sent it along to us because they are worried about this being an over-reaction,” he said.

The radio host pointed out that students, parents and teachers had already endured months of school closures during the lockdowns.

“And yes, we can understand the concern with one third of teachers being unwell but, when you think about it, shutting down an entire business because one third of workers are unavailable, indicates that there’s not much of a backup plan,” Fordham said.

“How is this living with the virus? It sounds like they’ve hit the panic button at Tangara Girls.”

Ben Fordham said parents are worried this may be an ‘over-reaction’. Picture: Gaye Gerard/Daily Telegraph

In the letter from the principal, parents were informed that the rest of the Prep to Year 6 school campus remained “fully operational”.

The letter stated the decision was “very difficult but necessary”, adding it had been made in conjunction with advice from NSW Health and the Association of Independent Schools of NSW (AISNSW).

News.com.au has contacted Tangara School for Girls, NSW Health and AISNSW for comment.

“We also want to assure you that these decisions are never made lightly. Balancing educational outcomes with the health and wellbeing of our staff and students is at the forefront of our decision making,” the school said.

“Whilst we would have preferred not to revert to remote learning, the advice was prudent and may avert the further spread of the virus within Secondary and the need to isolate any other part of the school in the near future.”

The decision from the school comes as NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant warned a new wave of Covid cases could be just weeks away.

Dr Chant recently urged people to get a booster vaccine, with Omicron sub-variants BQ. 1 and XBB expected to overtake BA. 5 as the dominant variants in Australia.

New COVID-19 update from @NSWCHO “We are starting to see an increase of COVID-19 cases and changes in the variants circulating in NSW, which tells us we are entering the next COVID-19 wave”. More info https://t.co/qty0m3JEmtpic.twitter.com/Ngtac3ptbj

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) November 3, 2022

“We’re starting to see an increase in Covid-19 cases and changes in the variants circulating in NSW, which tells us that we’re entering the next Covid wave,” she said in a video posted on social media last week.

“By looking at all the local information we have, and what’s happening overseas, we believe Covid cases will rise in the coming weeks.

“The protection the NSW community has from vaccination and previous infection continues to reduce the risk of severe illness.

“However, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions will continue to be at higher risk.

“Make sure you’re up to date with your vaccinations. This is your best protection.”