Preschoolers to start the year on time while other SA children wait in COVID-safe plan

The South Australian Government has mirrored the path taken by Queensland and has delayed the start of the 2022 academic year by two weeks in a bid to ensure children miss the fewest face-to-face learning days possible, while also ensuring the state keeps on top of the global Omicron outbreak.

Preschoolers, however, will start the year on time, considered to be a key year level along with Reception, Year One, Year Seven, Year Eight and Year 12, returning to face-to-face learning on Wednesday 2 February.

Other year levels will begin their school year learning from home from Wednesday 2 February and are anticipated to be back in the classroom on Monday 14 February.

Teachers, including early childhood teachers working in preschool settings, have been allocated 31 January and 1 February as additional preparation days to get briefed and ready for online teaching.

Children of essential workers, and children considered to be vulnerable, will be able to return to school from 31 January for two days of supervision and then face to face learning from 2 February.

Premier Steven Marshall said that while the first term back in 2022 will look a lot different to what parents and students are used to, the government has put students first in this back to school plan.

“While we understand there will be disruptions to the start of 2022 and it’s going to be challenging for a lot of families, we have put our kids first with this school’s plan – they learn better face-to-face and that is what we’ve worked hard to achieve,” Premier Steven Marshall said.

“This back to school plan is fully supported by the health and education experts in our State, and I’m certain it is the right way to go,” he added.

Parents will be contacted by their preschool and schools directly over the coming week with all of the information they will need ahead of 2 February.

The Department of Education website will also soon have all of the answers to questions parents, teachers and the wider public will have about the start of the 2022 school year.