'This can't be real': HSC exams evacuated after 'threatening' emails received - Sydney Morning Herald

A police investigation has begun after several Sydney schools received threatening emails on Tuesday morning.

Staff and students – including some sitting their HSC – have been evacuated from "six or seven" Sydney schools, police confirmed, after the emails were reported to authorities.

Students on an oval at an evacuated Castle Hill school. Credit:Nine

A number of schools are understood to have been affected, including Willoughby Girls High, Castle Hill High, Thomas Reddall High, Mount Annan High, Elizabeth Macarthur High, Picnic Point High and Jamison High.

Willoughby Public School, adjacent to the high school, was also evacuated.

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The Department of Education said schools had implemented their emergency response plans and it would work closely with NSW Police and provide support to staff and students as required.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she had only received "very preliminary" advice on the unfolding matter, but the department had involved police and she expected to receive more information on Tuesday afternoon.

"Obviously that would be very distressing to students, if their exams have been disrupted due to a threat of that nature," she said at noon.

Pictures posted on Facebook showed Castle Hill High students evacuated from their HSC exam on Tuesday.Credit:Facebook/Josh Gatt

She reminded students and schools they could apply for misadventure provisions if they believed the evacuation had affected their exam performance.

"We have very clear protocols in place to assist schools if there is any issue that affects an exam," she said. "They are able to apply for illness and misadventure provisions through NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority)."

A NESA spokeswoman said the authority was aware of reports that a number of Sydney high schools had to activate their emergency response plans on Tuesday.

"NESA is working with the school sectors to understand the impact on HSC exams," she said.

"Protecting the safety of students and the school community is the priority. Impacted students will not continue exams unless it is safe to do so.

"Schools will submit to NESA group applications for illness and misadventure on behalf of impacted students. No student will have to re-sit an exam."

HSC examinations for Legal Studies and Classical Hebrew Extension were scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Castle Hill High year 12 student Josh Gatt had an hour left of his Legal Studies exam when an announcement was made that he and his classmates would have to move to the oval.

"A lot of people's initial reaction was 'this can’t be real'," he said.

The group were sent home an hour later, after their exam was due to end. He said his class had been told they were going to submit a group application for misadventure.

"Most people are worried about how it will be marked," he said, noting many of his classmates had other exams this week they were now even more stressed about.

"[There are] a lot of questions to be answered," he said of the emails.

At Mount Annan High, the evacuation happened with about 45 minutes to go in the popular Legal Studies exam.

Year 12 student Flynn Costello said he was "lucky enough" to have completed his paper just as the group were told they needed to leave the room.

"It was quite frustrating for the few students that didn't get to complete their exam, but a few schools were affected by this," he said.

Picnic Point High School parents were alerted to the situation after midday. "The school received a hoax email which was reported to the police and school security who advised that an evacuation was necessary," the email said.

"Students have now been allowed back into school."

But Castle Hill High School students said they were still waiting on the oval after 2pm. "I just hope we get out soon," one said.

More to come

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMic2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNtaC5jb20uYXUvbmF0aW9uYWwvbnN3L3N5ZG5leS1zY2hvb2xzLWV2YWN1YXRlZC1hZnRlci10aHJlYXRlbmluZy1lbWFpbHMtcmVjZWl2ZWQtMjAyMDEwMjctcDU2OHp2Lmh0bWzSAXNodHRwczovL2FtcC5zbWguY29tLmF1L25hdGlvbmFsL25zdy9zeWRuZXktc2Nob29scy1ldmFjdWF0ZWQtYWZ0ZXItdGhyZWF0ZW5pbmctZW1haWxzLXJlY2VpdmVkLTIwMjAxMDI3LXA1Njh6di5odG1s?oc=5

2020-10-27 01:39:00Z
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