'Feeling of joy' at Tamworth schools as region's students return to face-to-face learning after weeks of lockdown

A welcome break from the isolation of online learning, students and staff were excited about the prospect of getting back to the classroom, Tamworth Public School principal Chris Connor said.

"We're really happy to have the children back and face-to-face teaching again, the staff are excited about seeing their classes, the kids are so excited to see their friends," he said.

While students have returned to a very different learning environment than before the virus, they've "slotted back into routine really easily".

On Monday, schools across the region returned to Level 3 COVID-19 restrictions, including QR code check-ins, no visitors on-site, restricted activities, increased hygiene practices, mask wearing and staggered drop off and pick up times.

Mr Connor said Tamworth Public School has made all the accommodations necessary under the new restrictions, while still striving to make children feel welcomed and comfortable in their new learning environments.

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"We've been able to have play times that mix the children up as well, we're trying to spread them into different areas within the school," he said.

"We're making sure that kids feel welcomed by making classroom activities and everything else as normal as possible, even though staff now have to wear masks inside and outside."

At the end of the day, the most important thing for the children was catching up with friends that they hadn't seen for weeks, apart from being online during Zoom class lessons, he said.

Tamworth Public School was one of over 620 schools across regional NSW which welcomed students back to face-to-face learning on Monday, as restrictions eased in 57 local government areas on the weekend.

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