ACT schools: When is my child returning to class?

Students in preschool, kindergarten, Year 1, 2, 7, 11 and 12 will be the first to return to school.

Students in all year levels are set to be back learning in the classroom by June 2.

With just one active case of COVID-19 in the ACT, the Barr government has bowed to public pressure and finally announced a timetable for shifting public school students back to class.

The move, to be announced on Thursday, signals an end to the remote learning program just six days into Term 2.

The controversial "hub" schools model will be scrapped from next Friday, with children registered to attend the supervised sites allowed back to their normal school on the following Monday.

The nine schools will then revert to normal operation over the following weeks.

Education minister Yvette Berry said the staggered return to classroom learning would coincide with the "gradual easing of wider societal restrictions".

"The return to on-campus learning for public school students will be carefully managed in stages so that teachers and schools have time to prepare," Ms Berry said.

Meanwhile, all ACT Catholic schools are preparing for students to return from May 18.

Some Catholic schools will have all students return on May 18, while others will use a staggered approach to have all students back by June 2.

Individual Catholic schools will be able to determine whether a staggered start or all students back at once would be needed.

Schools will inform parents of their decision in coming days.

Director of Catholic Education Ross Fox said social distancing of adults and extra hygiene measures needed to be taken to ensure a safe return.

"Otherwise, schools will largely operate as normal with some adjustments in line with health advice where this is required," he said.

"The return to school is being carefully planned by principals accounting for the needs of each school while ensuring students, teachers and staff are safe and student learning continues."

The government's decision came amid mounting pressure from parents, the federal government and the ACT Opposition to start moving students back into the classroom, in line with the advice of Australia's chief health officers.

The pressure escalated dramatically this week, with parents groups pushing for schools to be reopened for face-to-face learning. The federal government also escalated its campaign to see children back learning in the classroom, publishing figures which showed the massive economic cost of school closures.

Under the transition plan, the first batch of students will resume classroom learning at the start of week four (May 18).

At the start of week five (May 25), students in Year 3, 4 and 10 will return to class.

Students in Year 5, 6, 8 and 9 will return to class after the Reconciliation Day holiday on June 2.

All students will be learning full-time once they return. There will still be provisions for students with health issues to be taught remotely.

The timing of the return of certain year levels is based on the educational needs of students, Ms Berry said.

The ACT education directorate acknowledged that younger students required face-to-face teaching. It was also keen for students at crucial points of their schooling - Year 7, 11 and 12 - to return to class as soon as possible.

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Students and teachers who are sick will be urged to stay home and will have access to priority coronavirus testing at testing clinics, Ms Berry confirmed.

"We're sending clear messaging to parents, we're in a different world and things have to change," Ms Berry told ABC radio on Thursday.

Ms Berry said a date had not been set for online learning facilities to be shut off once children return to the classroom.

"We've done the work now [on online learning[ and we can see what was great and we can tighten it up if we need to use it in the future," Ms Berry said.

Plans are being developed by the government should there be a new outbreak of coronavirus cases in Canberra, or if a cluster forms near a school community.

"We've already been through a similar situation where Lyneham High School had a positive diagnosis and contact tracing was done and there was detailed cleaning and that was managed really well," Ms Berry said.

"We've been able to look at what happens in other states and territories and see how they have managed it."

Additional cleaning measures will be put in place with full-time cleaners in schools continuously through the day.

School bus services will be reverted back to pre-existing routes.

Canberra Liberals education spokeswoman Elizabeth Lee said some families had been let down by the delay in returning to school.

"We need to open all local schools now to give stressed parents choice; to protect the education, development and wellbeing of out children and to support our teachers to do what they do best - providing quality education in the classroom," Ms Lee said

"Thousands of Canberra families will be disappointed that they will have to wait another four weeks before their children can return to school."

Opposition Leader Alistair Coe called the decision by the government rushed and said the needs of children had been put last.

However, federal education minister Dan Tehan, who has for weeks been pressuring states and territories to move students back to the classroom, welcomed the ACT government's decision.

"Students get the best education in the classroom, learning from their teacher, so today's announcement by the ACT Government is welcome news for students, parents, teachers and principals," Mr Tehan said.

The transition plan was only rubber-stamped on Wednesday night after it was agreed to by the Australian Education Union.

The union had opposed a return to face-to-face learning, pointing to the "irreconcilable contradiction" of requiring teachers to work in the classroom while restrictions were imposed on other parts of society.

Union secretary Glenn Fowler has made clear that teachers would have to agree to rescind the agreement before they returned en-masse to face-to-face learning.

Speaking with The Canberra Times on Wednesday night, Mr Fowler said the union's executive had agreed to support the transition plan "in-principle" because of the likelihood that restrictions on gatherings would be relaxed in the coming days, as well the ACT's strong position in the fight against COVID-19.

Mr Fowler said the directorate had provided assurances that it could revert back to remote learning if there was a fresh outbreak of the virus.

But he said some issues still needed to be resolved. He said principals had asked for extra support to manage the "continual change" in learning arrangements, while teachers wanted to be sure that they wouldn't be forced to deliver classes both face-to-face and online.

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