There's excitement, and a little bit of shellshock, among the thousands of children who today have returned to Auckland classrooms for the first time in three months.

There are rules; that groups don't mingle, and face masks are worn for those in year four and up.

At Te Hihi School south of Auckland, the 200-or-so students are split into groups - a few will be in the classroom every day, some for just two days each week, and about 70 will learn from home for the rest of the year.

The principal Kevin Bush spoke to Max Towle.