University of New England funding provides Studiosity program to Tamworth students

A program funded by the University of New England (UNE) means more than 6000 high school students in the New England North West can access extra homework help.

An online support service called Studiosity is being provided to local students for free under the UNE's funding.

Tamworth High School students have been able to use the program since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but careers advisor Kate Daley said there's been an increase in uptake since classes were disrupted.

"The students can access assistance out of school hours and on the weekends, and during the quarantine they weren't able to come in face to face so so they could access tutors and ask questions," she said.

"Any way that students can access extra help is welcomed."

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Draft essays or homework can be uploaded to Studiosity and kids can get feedback within the day. They can also connect with experts to help with problems or download work for extra practice.

Ms Daley said she hopes more students will take advantage of the program, but said it can be a useful tool for teachers as well.

"It can definitely help take a load off ... teachers can utilise assistance and encourage students," she said.

Year 12 will sit the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in October.

This period has been a hard one for Year 12 students, but it also hasn't been easy on their teachers.

NSW Teachers Federation representative for the Tamworth region Mercurius Goldstein said the organisation had estimated most HSC classes are about 10 face-to-face teaching hours down on where they'd normally be at this point in their courses.

Despite "unfailing" service to students online during the COVID-19 shutdown, Mr Goldstein said face-to-face teaching is important and teachers should be remunerated to help make up the hours.

"It's simply unacceptable to take for granted that that can just be made up off the backs of teachers yet again, who already have gone above and beyond this year and already turned ourselves inside out to deliver the shift to remote learning and then the phased shift back and all the complications that came with it," he said.