Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Level 4 lockdown no surprise, schools ready for long haul

Schools say they're ready for another week of lockdown, following the announcement that the level 4 lockdown will continue until at least midnight on Friday, and longer for Auckland.

But one principal warns it's now urgent that schools be told whether there will be changes to NCEA credits - as not knowing is giving senior students "huge anxiety".

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced in a 4pm press conference that all of New Zealand would remain in level 4 until at least 11.59pm this Friday.

Auckland - where most cases have been picked up - would stay in level 4 until at least 11.59pm on August 31.

There were 35 new cases reported today, bringing the total in the community to 107.

On online learning for school students during lockdown, Ardern said more plans were expected on Wednesday from Education and Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins.

Sheryll Ofner, principal of Selwyn College in the eastern Auckland suburb of Kohimarama, said things were going "as well as could be expected" in lockdown and the extension wouldn't make a big difference.

"We are up and running on distance learning and our students are responding well. I think that previous lockdowns have taught them they need to get on board so we're quite excited at the level of student engagement."

However, she was "incredibly concerned" about what would happen with NCEA credits and wanted that addressed urgently.

Selwyn College principal Sheryll Ofner. File photo / Brett Phibbs

Last year students were awarded extra credits on top of those they had earned, in recognition of lockdown, leading to some schools having their best results ever.

Ofner said currently many students couldn't access the resources they needed to do their work. For example, media students were halfway through making a film using the school's sophisticated software, and could not complete their work at home. There were many similar examples in other subjects.

"It creates huge anxiety for senior students and teachers and we sit round and talk about how we can help the students achieve their goals and their qualifications for the year - it just needs to be, and I'm sure it will be treated, as urgent by the ministry."

At Rowandale School in Manurewa, principal Karl Vasau said it, like most schools, was prepared for at least another week of lockdown.

Rowandale School principal Karl Vasau. File photo / Jason Oxenham

"We've rolled out devices and resources to parents, we've set up online learning sites and we're ready for the long haul. We want to beat this and the only way we can do that is by ensuring we stay home and lock down. As schools we'll do everything in our power to support parents to do this."

On Friday the Ministry of Education gave schools directions on how to get laptops and other resources out to students to support distance learning. While contactless delivery was preferred, an exemption was made for parents or students to pick up resources in limited circumstances. All Covid protocols had to be followed, such as cleaning surfaces and wearing PPE.

Vasau had spent Monday getting resources out to the decile 1 primary school's families, with parents coming in for non-contact pickups.

There had been "really positive feedback" from parents coming in, he said. And the school had also been able to distribute free food, both through KidsCan, and handing out yoghurts with all learning packs from a free lunch in schools provider.

Education union NZEI Te Riu Roa said earlier this afternoon teachers and schools were feeling better prepared for an extension of Level 4.

That was based off an anonymous survey of nearly 2000 members in primary and intermediate schools.

NZEI president Liam Rutherford said members were "overwhelmingly" more prepared, with messages like "we've been here before" and "we know the drill".

NZEI Te Riu Roa president Liam Rutherford. File photo / Simon Collins

Teachers were more confident using digital tools and felt the kids were too.

"A huge number of teachers told us they already had lesson plans prepared, and knew where to find resources. Many schools had packs and resources ready to go," he said.

"We've probably also adjusted our expectations about what day-to-day school should look like at level 4. We know this isn't a permanent state of things, and that this is a time to be kind to one another and have reasonable expectations about things like schoolwork.

"It's clear that tamariki will be learning plenty, whether or not they're in classes from 9am-3pm."