Fifty students at Queanbeyan High School will be taking their seats for their first Higher School Certificate written exam on Tuesday morning, marking the final hurdle of their school journey.
Principal Jennifer Green said the year 12 cohort had remained stoic, understanding and reasonable despite the disruption to learning created by the coronavirus pandemic, qualities she believed would serve them well in the workforce.
"I think my students are exceptional," Ms Green said.
"They understand it's not imposed on them by any person, it's a virus."
Every New South Wales school that is hosting HSC exams is required to follow health guidelines and to have a backup plan if somebody at the school had a confirmed case of COVID-19.
"I'm very confident should anything like that happens we've got plans in place," Ms Green said.
Students will be asked if they are feeling healthy before entering an exam room. Those feeling unwell on the day will be able to go through the usual illness and misadventure process so they aren't penalised.
The Education Department has asked that no more than 75 students be allowed in an exam room and that the venues be prioritised for cleaning.
The first examination most of the cohort will face is the English Advanced and English Standard paper one on the common module, texts and human experiences.
It requires students to respond to questions about unseen texts and a prescribed text they have studied at school.
English studies and English as an additional language or dialect written exams will be held at the same time. The exams begin at 9.50am.
Written exams will continue until Wednesday, November 11 and results will be issued on December 18.
Many students have already received an early offer for a place at university under special admissions programs which has lifted some of the burden of exam time.
Ms Green said the school had been working with Headspace in Queanbeyan to help students take care of their mental health during their final year at school.
She was impressed that students had arranged a collection of food and goods for Christmas hampers in lieu of the fundraising activities that year 12 usually run.
"Even in this time of COVID they're thinking about their community."
