The fire at St Columba's High School last week provoked a strong response on social media.
"I am one of the exams supervisors at this school, and last year we got evacuated during the first week of exams. Terrible that this has happened again," Brigitte Fuhrmann posted on the Blue Mountains Gazette's Facebook page.
"Poor St Columba's. Especially after they were so close to being destroyed by the fires last year," added Jennifer Millard on the same page.
Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill said "council will do all it can to support them in recovering from this fire. The HSC students in particular are in my thoughts".
HSC exams started at the school on Monday. Acting principal Mark Sattler said 11 technical HSC works were destroyed in the fire but they had all been marked.
The school lost several specialist areas, art rooms, industrial technology rooms and a hospitality area. Attempts had been made to cause fires in other areas of the school.
Clr Greenhill said he had "been onto the site and it's truly sad".
"This is a school that's resisted and been affected by fire before and to see it in that state is very sad."
Mr Sattler said counselling is available at the school again this week.
"Sadly, we understand that the school fire may stir up memories of last year's fires."
Police have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
- B. C Lewis
