The NSW government wants schools to resume face-to-face classes from next week - generally one day a week at first - but the Catholic and independent sectors are working to resume full-time teaching faster than that.
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Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday confirmed the state government was prioritising year 12 students from May 11 with a rapid return to regular timetabling "if the first few weeks go well."
"The latest report I received from the minister for education is that the overwhelming majority of public schools have been able to expedite classes for Year 12," she said on Monday.
But plans vary across the state - with schools being asked to take the reins on creating their new timetables.
Sydney Catholic Schools executive director Tony Farley says year 12 students will return first with all other year levels organised by individual schools "consistent with the needs of their communities."
"Year 12 is a short period of time now between the end of the year ... so it's important for us to make sure they're ready for the assessments and exams that are coming ahead," Mr Farley said in a video message.
"As far as our other students are concerned, the most important thing in the return to schools is the health and safety of our students, our staff, our parents and the broader community."
A spokesman for the Association of Independent Schools of NSW on Monday said their return-to-school plans had also been created by each school.
Parents at St Patrick Marist College in Sydney's northwest were sent a three-week plan on Sunday.
From Monday, year 11 and 12 students will return to full-time study indefinitely.
The following week, year 10 students will return for four days and years 7 to 9 for three days a week.
"The entire situation is especially complex with the dynamic nature of the advice we continue to receive and the rapidly changing environment within the wider community," St Patrick Marist College principal Angela Hay said in the letter.
St Columba's Catholic School - a primary school in Sydney's western suburbs - told parents all year levels would return to two days of face-to-face learning from Monday.
Kindergarten, year 1 and year 3 will be attending school on Monday and Tuesday while years 2, 4, 5 and 6 will be at school on Wednesday and Thursday.
School principal Bernard Ryan said all students should to return full-time from June 1.
"There are still challenges ahead but the staff and I are looking forward to having the children back in their classrooms," he said in the letter.
A different approach has been taken at St Gertrude's Primary School in Sydney's west with students returning for one day from week three decided by house colours.
This cohort continues the following week but for two days a week, with plans to return fully in week six.
At Wahroonga Public School on the upper north shore, parents have been encouraged to only send their children to school one day a week, but this is flexible if needed.
Students will return in small groups of 10 to 12 and each year level has been divided among two-to-three different groups staggered across the week.
The school has will also introduced staged pick-up and drop-off times.
Australian Associated Press
