The start of the Queensland 2022 school year will move from 24 January to 7 February to avoid the predicted Omicron wave peak and allow more time for children to get vaccinated.
The new start date will apply to all state, catholic and independent primary and secondary schools and sessional kindies.
Students in years 11 and 12 will commence remote learning from 31 January until 4 February. To ensure other cohorts do not miss out on learning, the end of the school year will be extended for them by one week until 16 December.
Schools will remain open to vulnerable children and the children of essential workers. Principals will implement staffing arrangements to ensure only the minimum number of staff are on site.
Delaying the start of school is a common sense measure which is particularly important for 5 to 11-year-olds who will be eligible to be vaccinated from tomorrow (10 January).