Lockdown arrangements for Queensland state schools

Queensland state schools in each of the 11 Local Government Areas impacted by the three day lockdown will only remain open to vulnerable children and the children of essential workers, Education Minister Grace Grace announced today.

Ms Grace said it was absolutely imperative that all school communities in lockdown zones strictly followed the directives of the Chief Health Officer.

“As you have heard, the Government and Chief Health Officer has moved quickly this morning to put in place restrictions to ensure our safety and well-being,” Ms Grace said.

The lockdown of 11 LGAs begins at 4.00pm today, until 3.59pm on Tuesday, subject to ongoing health advice.

Indooroopilly State High School and Ironside State School remain closed for 14 days following confirmation of positive COVID-19 cases in both school communities.

Ms Grace said the 14 day closure for Ironside SS commences immediately, with the school scheduled to re-open on Friday 13 August.  Indooroopilly SHS is closed until Thursday 12 August, effective from Wednesday 28 July.

She said Queensland Health has written to all parents of both schools to advise of home quarantine arrangements for students and staff. 

A pop-up testing clinic will be set up and operating at Indooroopilly SHS from today until Monday – from 8.00am to 4.00pm on each day.

Ms Grace said masks would now be mandatory for all high school students and staff, and for all adults in primary schools from Monday 2 August 2021 in the 11 affected LGAs.

“We all know how highly infectious the Delta variant is so these new requirements are tough but necessary,” she said.

She said her department was working closely with schools and educators around the state to ensure children are not disadvantaged while school communities remained in temporary lockdown.

“I am confident that every one of our schools in lockdown areas have comprehensive plans and strategies in place to ensure continuity of teaching and learning for our students and staff.”

She said individual schools would be contacting their families to outline curriculum arrangements for their students.

In addition, the Department’s the learning@home website provides parents with a range of resources to support students to continue their learning.

“These arrangements will vary from school to school but we have been in this situation before and shown how effective our learning from home strategies are,” Ms Grace said.

The Local Government Areas subject to lockdown are:

• City of Brisbane
• Moreton Bay Regional Council
• City of Gold Coast
• City of Ipswich
• Lockyer Valley Regional Council
• Logan City
• Noosa Shire Council
• Redland City
• Scenic Rim Regional Council
• Somerset Regional Council
• Sunshine Coast Regional Council

For further information please contact Courtney Hoogen on 0439 341 314

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31 July 2021