ASHTONFIELD Public School has asked some of its students to learn from home, due to its number of staff on leave with COVID-19.
Principal Melissa Scully wrote to families on Tuesday, explaining that "a number" of teaching staff and students could not attend school because they had the disease.
"The school has sourced local casual teachers, combined classes," Ms Scully said.
"However due to the number of teachers on leave... Sky 4 must revert temporarily to minimal supervision from 2/8/22 [Tuesday] until 5/8/22 [Friday].
"This will mean Sky 4 will need to temporarily learn from home."
Sky 4 comprises three year four classes, with a total of 73 students.
Its three teachers are sick and not expected to return this week.
Ms Scully said all other year groups would continue to attend school for face to face learning.
"Students who are required to temporarily learn from home will be supported to access online learning materials from the Learning from Home hub," she said.
Students unable to learn from home can come to the school and access the same resources, with minimal supervision.
Ms Scully said the best place for students to learn was in the classroom, "but the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is the department's number one priority".
"We will continue to monitor the situation and advise you when it is safe for all our students and staff to return to our classrooms," she said.
A Department of Education spokesperson said increased COVID-smart measures were in place - including extra supplies of rapid antigen tests and masks and maximising ventilation - under its four-week blitz to reduce transmission.
"Additional 'circuit breaker' measures, including cohorts learning from home, may be implemented for a short period of time, following an increase in cases across or within cohorts of staff and students," they said.
NSW Teachers Federation regional organiser Jack Galvin Waight said schools like Ashtonfield were "doing everything possible to staff their school, but are being caught up in the staffing crisis afflicting students' learning across the state".
"COVID and the flu are just making a bad problem worse," he said. "The shortages in the Hunter and throughout NSW are 10 years in the making and highlight government neglect."
Hearings in the parliamentary inquiry into teacher shortages will begin on Thursday.
