More NSW schools are resuming normal operations after the NSW Department of Education proactively closed schools last week to ensure the safety of teachers, staff, and students during the ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred emergency. 

More than 60 public schools are expected to re-open tomorrow, Wednesday, 12 March, after being closed due to increased risk of damage from possible flooding and winds last week.

Trinity Catholic College and St Carthage's Primary School will also reopen tomorrow; however, St John's Woodlawn College will remain close until flood waters have receded and it is deemed safe to reopen.

Currently, less than 20 public schools are expected to remain closed tomorrow, while further clean up and repair work takes place.

On that list is Lismore South Public School and Coraki Public School.

Lismore South is expecting to reopen for staff and students on Thursday. That is also the advice for Coraki Public School. At 4:30pm today, the Richmond River was still at major flood level of 5.71m.

The number of closed schools is down from 335 NSW school closures across the state at the peak of the response.

The full list of NSW public schools remaining non-operational will be published on the NSW Department of Education website, which will be regularly updated. Families are encouraged to check the website for updates.

As the Department carries out its safety assessments, some damage to schools has been reported, along with multiple instances of fallen trees, which need to be made safe before students and staff can return.  

Access to a small number of schools is still not possible due to flood impacts and road closures. Once it is possible to safely access these schools, the Department will carry out damage assessments and start any required clean-up and repair works to enable them to reopen.

Catholic and Independent schools are also carrying out assessments of their schools and reopening facilities, and families should check their local school websites for further information.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said, “Each day we are getting closer to having affected schools reopened and returned to normal, and all our Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast students back in classrooms.

“Once again, I am grateful to our North Coast communities for their patience during this disrupted period.

“It has been heartening to see our regional communities come together, with many of our frontline volunteers being teachers, who have continued to work for the good of those around them.”