"Our decisions were made within the parameters of the health, education, physical and psychological needs of our students and we believe they are relatively safe to come back to school," principal Terry Muldoon said.

"We think that given the relatively low risk in our region ... that there is a fairly limited risk to our students and staff."

NSW Health reports that Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Area has 26 active COVID-19 cases as of last night.

"So we've decided that given that we will bring our students back as soon as we can," Mr Muldoon said.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian told the media today that some independent schools might choose to "do their own thing".

"The independent school system and the Catholic school system are generally supportive of the staged approach and that's the approach they're taking," she said.

"We appreciate there may be some outliers in some schools".

School 'prepared' after first coronavirus case

St Columba Anglican School shut down on March 20 after a 14-year-old female tested positive to the virus, which was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the region.

Mr Muldoon said that the incident had prepared them for the potential of another outbreak.

"We've had the COVID diagnosis so we know what can happen and how we've got to respond.

"If there's another spike we know what we are going to do, which is different I suppose to schools that are waiting for it to happen to see how it tests their system.

"If we found another case we would automatically go back into shutdown."

Returning students temperature checked

More than 160 students of essential workers attended the campus today for the start of term two.

Mr Muldoon said precautions were put in place.

"Every person that has stepped foot on the campus today has been temperature tested.

"All the students, their parents had to provide health clearance. Staff had to do the same thing."

Mr Muldoon said parents were not permitted to enter the campus beyond the drop off area or the front office.

"The research basically says the adults are the most likely to be the carriers or to contaminate schools rather than the students," he said.

Parents who chose to keep their children at home will be able to continue to access online resources.