Tamworth HSC: students stressed in COVID-19 pandemic as schools work to provide support

New research from Cluey Learning showed Higher School Certificate (HSC) students found the pandemic more stressful than global politics, family issues, body image and health concerns.

Study habits have also taken a hit with a majority of students admitting they had studied less in the pandemic.

Remote learning had been tough compared to the support offered at school, Peel High School student Mathieu McIntyre-Fogden said.

"Our teachers know we are a bit stressed but we are moving forward towards the HSC and all our teachers are supporting us," he said.

Conscious of the impact of home-schooling on HSC results and student mental health, Peel High School principal Rod Jones said the school made daily contact with Year 12 during the layoff.

"I personally conducted Zoom meetings with all of them to allay their concerns and also those of their parents," he said.

"Also, I have stressed a positive attitude and diligent work ethic will get them everything they want, and to not dwell on COVID-19, I think this has been very successful."

The school ensured all students had access to laptops and the internet from the first day of the NSW government school closures.

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Schools officially returned with a staged approach from May 11, which would have been welcome news for the 60 per cent of parents involved in the research who admitted they had been worried about their child's mental health.

At Oxley High School, principal Simon Bartlett-Taylor said some students had advised the school they preferred to work from home and online.

"At Oxley we expect that all of our HSC students will achieve their best results in an environment that has been rapidly changing," he said.

"Using ATAR's as a measure of average performance doesn't see the big picture."