Primary, secondary and special schools

Children must be 5 by 30 June in the year they enrol in the Preparatory Year. See enrolling your child.

The cost of providing instruction, administration and facilities for the education of a student at a state school is met by the State.

The 'education of a student' may be provided wherever instruction arranged by the school is given to the student and is not limited to being provided within the grounds of the school or on school premises. See state education fees.

How do I enrol a child if:

• I move within Queensland?
• I move from interstate?
• my child is from overseas?

See enrolling your child.

No – there are some differences, so if a student is transferring from interstate, the new school should be contacted directly. See enrolling your child.

Queensland state schools operate 5 days per week. Generally, state schools hold approximately 5 hours of classes between 8.30am and 3.30pm from Monday to Friday on school days during school term and this is considered as standard school hours

To find a particular school’s hours, use the Schools Directory to reach the school’s website.

View the term dates and school holidays.

See choosing a state school. Contact your regional office or search for schools in your local area via the Schools Directory.

See school holidays and term dates. Specific holiday dates may vary depending on the year level of the student (e.g. Year 10 or 12) and your locality in the state. Check with your local school for annual school holiday dates and staff professional development days.

Many state schools host an outside school hours care (OSHC) service on a school site. All children who are eligible to attend a school, including those enrolled in the Prep Year, are eligible to apply to be enrolled in OSHC. These services can be operated by Parents and Citizens' Associations (P&Cs), not-for-profit or commercial providers. Contact your local school to determine if a service is available at your school. See hosting outside school hours care services on state school sites.

School communities, through their P&Cs, can decide on a student dress code which reflects the needs and circumstances of that school community. For more information, see the student dress code procedure.

The department provides assistance to parents of secondary school age students through the Textbook and Resource Allowance. The Queensland Government funds the School Transport Assistance Scheme to help students who meet certain criteria travel to and from school. Refer to financial assistance.

Many schools have school uniform shops and second-hand clothing pools. Contact your school P&Cs Association for further information. Families in genuine financial difficulties are asked to contact the school principal for assistance and advice with uniform provision.

All Queensland state schools are committed to meeting the learning needs of students who are gifted. See gifted and talented education.

The department is committed to providing all Queensland students with access to a quality education, including students with disability or a learning difficulty.

More information is available for support for students with learning difficulties.

There is a wide variety of specialised subjects offered in state schools. Refer to specific school websites or individual school principals for information on their school offerings.

See the P–12 curriculum, assessment and reporting framework page.

If you have further queries, please make an appointment to see your child's teacher.

See compliments and complaints.

Bullying is a concern that all schools take very seriously and work to address. If you suspect your child is being bullied, you should make an appointment with the teacher or principal at the school to discuss your concerns. You may also like to explore the Bullying! No Way website which has information and strategies for children, parents and schools.

Volunteers are always welcome as it helps foster a partnership between school, home and the community. Volunteers at schools need to hold a blue card prior to commencing work, however, if the volunteer is a parent of a child at the school, a Blue Card may not be needed. Contact the school principal for further information.

Parents are encouraged to play an active role in the education of their children. There are many ways parents can be involved in activities at their child's school, ranging from P&Cs Associations to volunteer work. See parents and carers—becoming involved.

Schools in consultation with their school community develop and implement a sun protection plan for students and staff. School plans cover issues such as wearing hats, using shade, scheduling outdoor activities and developing classroom programs on sun safety. See the sun safety strategy page for more information.​​