Final year of school for the class of 2020 unlike any other due to COVID-19

The most important year of school for the class of 2020 has been one like no other, with COVID-19 adding unprecedented disruption to an already stressful period. With students in their final weeks of schooling before practice exams and then ATAR exams in November, the impact of that disruption is being felt across the country. At the peak of COVID-19 restrictions in WA, students were encouraged to learn from home, boarding schools were shut, and most extracurricular activities were stopped. The Education Department announced in May that ATAR exams would go ahead as planned in the same form and length as in previous years. Zeke Medling is in Year 12 at North Albany Senior High School and plans to undertake a bachelor of nursing at Notre Dame University. He said it had been a challenging year. “I found it hard keeping my focus (learning at home) because everyone else was also home,” he said. “There was some initial concern regarding grades. However, this was quickly eliminated when universities began allowing applications with Year 11 results. “The school has been very supportive in ensuring we achieve excellence despite a multitude of interruptions.” Headspace Albany manager Andrew Wenzel, pictured right, said there were concerns for the mental health of the students in the graduating year group. “This year it is combined with the fact that it hasn’t been a normal year and people are so used to Year 12 being what it is, with assessments a certain way and exams and marks being moderated,” he said. “Now, it is not knowing what that all looks like. The fact that it wasn’t just a day-to-day turn up to school sort of year, it’s whether that has had an impact or not. “If you are someone who worries about that uncertainty, this year is tougher than usual.” Mr Wenzel said it could be hard for students to find the right level of study, particularly in a year when extracurricular activities such as sport had come to a halt. “When you are surrounded by a peer group who is going through the same thing, and everyone is talking about assignments and deadlines and marks ... it can end up being the one thing that people end up focusing on too much,” he said. “It is a big thing, but it isn’t the only thing in life.” Education Minister Sue Ellery said schools across the State had noticed the extra stress on students. “Schools will tell you anecdotally that some students who may have well struggled in any event found it harder,” she said. “But certainly schools were provided with additional assistance and access to resources and access to school psychology services to assist them with students that had any particular issues. “But there is no question about it. In the hardest year of your education, to be doing that in a pandemic is extraordinary — and this cohort of students will go down in history as the ones who did it in extraordinary circumstances.” Ms Ellery said the class of 2020 had been at the forefront of the department’s COVID-19 decision-making processes. “Plans were put in place very early, and there are still contingency plans put in place now,” she said. “We were determined from the very beginning that whatever happened, they were going to get the best possible education. “The way that the pandemic has been managed in WA, keeping kids at schools has been one of the key priorities.” Both Ms Ellery and Mr Wenzel reminded students there were other pathways into the careers they wanted to pursue. “It may be that you can go straight into TAFE, university or a job, but there are other pathways to get where you want to go and you just have to keep working hard and you will get there,” Ms Ellery said. ANDREW WENZEL’S TOP 5 TIPS FOR YEAR 12 EXAMS 1 Make a plan and write it down. Give other people in your life a copy of your plan. 2 Allocate relaxation time. 3 Sleep and eat well. Maintain a healthy lifestyle because our brains need that regularity and fuel. 4 Ask questions. If you don’t understand something, ask someone. 5 If you find yourself struggling mentally, seek help.