Under tightened COVID-19 safety measures - announced by the NSW Department of Education yesterday - mingling between year groups will be discouraged, excursions will not be permitted, and any sports carnivals will be kept small in term 3.

But of the greatest disappointment to senior students is the department's message that "school formals, dances, graduation[s] or other social events are not permitted".

Schools may be able to host a year group assembly without parents or delay events until later in the year when restrictions may have eased. It has left students feeling like they are trying to hit a moving target, not knowing whether they will have the traditional school send off or not.

"One minute we are having a formal, then we aren't, the changes have been hard to keep track of," said year 12 student Lachlan Wordsworth, 17.

Fellow 17-year-olds Ruby Condon and Lily Moon have both bought their formal dresses and are now wondering whether they will have a chance to be worn.

"On one hand we're told we can't fit the whole year group in the hall for formals, but what about our exams," Ruby said.

"They're talking about having [the formal] next year, but is there any point to that?" Lily said.

The Wagga High students admitted there had been some tears among their year group yesterday.

"It really is disappointing that we can't do the usual year 12 things," said James Pitstock, 17. "You're excited from year 7 to do these things. You look forward to it, to the things you only get to do in year 12. It is subject to change though, so hopefully, by the end of the year we can do something."

While the restrictions have been outlined for the public system, many private and independent schools have chosen to adopt the same measures.

The head of senior school at Wagga Christian College, Catherine Clarke, spoke of the difficulty in planning for events that may not go ahead. "Our end of year dinner is usually in November so, at this stage, we've still got a date in mind, but it's too early to know what will happen by then," Ms Clarke said.

On the last day of term three, year 12 would usually share breakfast together before hosting a graduation ceremony, and competing against year 11 in a raft of 'silly games'.

"It may not go ahead how it usually does, but we've said that we'll still plan a special day within the restrictions at the time. We all just want them to finish well," she said.