The school received a grant from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Schools Office to employ extra cleaners and purchase 'hard to source' cleaning and sanitary supplies.

Hand sanitiser will also be supplied to staff and students before each lesson and classrooms will be thoroughly cleaned throughout the day.

School principal Peter Nicholls said "as time goes on we're able to sustain a very clean and hygienic environment for our parents, students and staff."

The added attention to cleaning will ensure staff and students are confident it's safe to be at school.

"It would be fair to say the COVID-19 virus and its spread has undermined people's confidence and made them wary of physical contact which we know has had a serious impact on mental health," Mr Nicholls added.

"We want to make sure that our folk are mixing together with all due safety and keeping up that social contact so that they're well.

"People who are feeling settled and confident in their environments are free to learn and that's what we want."

Mr Nicholls was thrilled by the school community's prompt response to the pandemic.

"I think we've done a really good job, the feedback we've had from students, parents and staff is they have adjusted to the online learning environment very quickly and that's been fantastic," Mr Nicholls said.

"The feedback we've had has been positive that people have seen us really striving to keep up a high quality of education for the young people."

Like other high schools across the State, St Clare's is a fortnight into the gradual return to the classroom.

Year 12 will be in class four days a week, year 11 will attend on Thursdays and Fridays while the remaining grades will be scattered throughout the week.

"Now we're in the mode of welcoming our students back, there's a real joy in that and it's fantastic to see our young people back in the school, engaging with each other and engaging with their teachers in their learning," Mr Nicholls said.

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Fridays are dedicated for year 12 students to get back up to speed on major projects.

"There is no gazetted classes for year 12 and we've released all the projects staff to work with students on their projects in wood, metal, plastics, art and fabric," Mr Nicholls said.

"They've got a whole day of work in front of them which means over the next three weeks that will catch them up for time they missed during the holidays and they'll be back on an even playing field for the next phase (of coming back to school)."

Mr Nicholls had glowing praise for staff in their response to the unpredictable nature of the virus.

"Our staff have been magnificent," Mr Nicholls said.

"Our teaching staff and support staff have just got one aim in mind and that's to do the best they can for their students and for our families.

"The amount of learning that's gone on and the support for each other and for people outside the school has been magnificent."

Meanwhile, the Catholic Schools Office has implemented fee concessions and deferments.

Many families have spoken with St Clare's, Forster's Holy Name Primary School and Gloucester's St Joseph Primary School about the options.

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Diocesan director of Catholic schools Gerard Mowbray said the move would support families through the pandemic.

"We understand that COVID-19 has struck people of all walks of life, health-wise and financially, and wanted to do all that we could to support our families," Mr Mowbray said.

"It has always been the diocese's policy that financial hardship should not prevent a child from attending a Catholic school and that no child will be denied a Catholic education because of a family's genuine inability to pay the required fees.

"We have not moved to introduce a standard fee concession, because there is no 'one size fits all' approach. COVID-19 has impacted families in different ways.

"Principals are best placed to respond to inquiries regarding fees sensitively and confidentially at a local level."