The NSW Department of Education is confident schools in fire-affected areas will be ready for students to return to when the new school year begins.

Key points: Schools affected by bushfires are expected to be safe for students by the start of first term

Schools affected by bushfires are expected to be safe for students by the start of first term Assessment teams are inspecting more than 140 schools that have been affected

Assessment teams are inspecting more than 140 schools that have been affected Contingency measures are in place if schools are not deemed safe for students to return

Impact assessment teams are scouring firegrounds across NSW counting the cost of the bushfire crisis.

They will be assessing the toll on the state's education system with added urgency as classes are set to resume in less than a fortnight's time.

"We have around two weeks until school goes back, and around 140 schools that need to be assessed. We're about a third of the way through that process," NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.

"Not all of them have sustained damage and not all of them will need high-level cleaning, but it's certainly the case that some will.

"We will prioritise those schools that have been hardest hit and hopefully we'll have everyone back at their normal school by the first day of term."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 10 seconds 1 m 10 s Cobargo in flames after bushfire tears through town ( Supplied: David Allen )

Still standing

The rural communities of Cobargo and Quaama were devastated when the Badja Forest Road fire swept through on New Year's Eve — significantly damaging schools in both towns.

Unconfirmed reports at the time indicated that both schools had been destroyed but subsequent assessment has painted a much more positive picture.

"I was given advice that the schools in Cobargo and Quaama had been lost, but fortunately it appears that they have been damaged and the buildings are still standing," Ms Mitchell said.

Part of the clean-up operation will be assessing any risks to students on school sites including damaged facilities and hazardous materials.

The Department of Education said schools would not be reopened before it was safe to do so.

"Assessment teams are looking for things like damage to playground and fencing, and ash and retardant that might be present on school sites," Ms Mitchell said.

"We'll have contingency measures in place, but I remain confident that students will be able to go back to their regular schools."

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, second from right, says around 140 schools need to be assessed over the next two weeks. ( ABC News: Cecilia Connell, file photo )

Locals save school

St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School in Milton is one of 14 Catholic schools impacted by the fires.

On New Year's Eve an ember ignited a neighbouring paddock and started a grass fire that spread in a matter of minutes towards the school and the historic 19th century church next door.

Local pest exterminator Corey Moon was hit hard when the fires arrived last year but, alongside other locals, managed to stop the fire metres from the school and church.

"It was a nightmare, you couldn't see anything. It was just flame everywhere, completely engulfed," he said.

"I live out the back of Milton and got hit last year and lost everything, and got hit again this year but managed to save the house that we rebuilt."

Simon Kinch is a school teacher at St Mary's and was also present when the fire threatened his school.

He said it was incredible watching the community come together.

"The firies have been stretched so far along the coast, so it was the local families and local farmers that banded together with water on the backs of their trucks and put out the fire up at the school," he said.

"They've done an incredible job making sure the kids have somewhere to return to at the end of their holidays."

Teacher Simon Kinch is happy students can come back to a safe space after the school was saved. ( ABC Illawarra: Jake Lapham )

The fire burnt through the school yard and destroyed the gardens, fences and signs as well as the playground that was built last year.

Mr Kinch said he was just glad the kids will have somewhere to come back to at the start of first term.

"We have families at the school who've lost absolutely everything — and a school needs to be a safe, secure place," he said.

"We're trying to get things up and moving so the kids can come back to a real positive space."