PLC and TAS adapt to manage the impact of the ever changing border closure status on students

The association, which advocates for remote children and families, called on governments last month to class children who need to cross borders for study as essential travellers.

The impractical situations facing boarding school families whose lives have been split over the border restrictions. have prompted schools on all sides of NSW borders to launch campaigns for change with the hashtag #nobordersforboarders.

The Armidale School (TAS) is one of the largest regional residential schools in New South Wales, and it says the ongoing and ever-changing situation regarding movement restrictions between borders continues to be of great interest.

The school has close to 230 boarding students from four Australian states and territories as well as overseas and enrolment office staff can clearly sense agitation from border community families about the challenges of schooling children interstate.

"The vast majority of our boarders are from regional NSW for whom there is no restriction to and from their home," said Head of School Alan Jones.

"We have one Queensland boarder (a Year 8 boy) who went home before the border closed and one international student (a Year 11 girl from Hong Kong), both learning online.

"All our other interstate (Queensland, Northern Territory and Victoria) and international boarders are all on campus."

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Acknowledging that the situation is ever-evolving, the school is planning for the management of the non-NSW boarders in the next school holiday period, as to whether they can get home, how it manages their return, or if a local alternative such as a homestay with friends will be more appropriate.

"At this stage, our Sydney boarders will be able to return home, but their return to school will be conditional to a negative COVID-19 test and some isolation on their return," Mr Jones said.

"The concern of families in border communities who may be educating their children interstate is clearly an ongoing issue and one that is unlikely to be resolved in the short term."

This concern also has also has implications for TAS.

"We are aware of families from border communities who are now weighing up the advantages of educating their children in the same state, even if in 'normal' circumstances, a regional centre across the border such as Toowoomba or Brisbane, is more accessible - with a coeducational option in New England reducing those challenges and inconveniences even further," Mr Jones said.

TAS is also experiencing a slight, but definite, increased level of inquiry from Sydney families looking for a quality boarding school in a safe regional environment for their children.

"Fresh, clean air; plenty of space, similar opportunities to city schools and a lower risk of infection, all being part of the package," said Mr Jones.

"The School's COVID management team is daily monitoring advice and guidelines from health and education authorities, at the same time taking a pro-active approach in regard to balancing the need to provide co-curricular opportunities for our students within these guidelines."

PLC Armidale also has both interstate and international students enrolled.

"The safety of our international and interstate students has been at the forefront of our planning since January, where our girls willingly went into quarantine before it was a mandatory government requirement," said PLC Armidale Principal, Mrs Nicola Taylor.

"Since then, we have followed the public health order and government regulations throughout to ensure the safety, well-being and health of our staff and students in our community."

Mrs Taylor said a residential activity program had been conducted during the holiday breaks for girls unable to return home to interstate destinations such Victoria or overseas and had been managing Qld border restrictions on a case by case basis.

"The health and welfare of all our students and staff have been paramount during this challenging time," she said.