Schools across the North Coast of NSW will be non-operational for the next two days to safeguard students and staff as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches.
Due to potential impacts of the cyclone, including a heightened risk of flooding, more than 230 public schools, 29 Catholic schools, five independent schools and 16 TAFE campuses, along with two additional TAFE campuses being used as evacuation centres, are closed. The closures are expected to impact schools from Wednesday 5 March, through to Friday 7 March 2025.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the coastline north of Brisbane as a Category 2 cyclone late on Thursday or early Friday.
Substantial flooding is expected with up to a metre of rain forecast to fall in southern Queensland and north-eastern NSW over several days.
Because of these risks, families have been asked to not send children to school for the next two days.
At this stage schools are expected to resume operations on Monday 10 March 2025.
The department has a stock of essential products ready to be dispatched to support our school communities, including gloves, paper towels, pump soap, tissues, toilet paper, bottled water and personal insect repellents. Additional blow-drying units and air purifiers are also available.
The Department of Education also requires all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to operate safely, including during extreme weather events, and is contacting services in affected regions.
The Department urges services to assess the risk of severe weather in their community and if necessary, activate their emergency plans and procedures. We encourage services to follow the advice of local authorities and the SES.
The SES has asked families to prepare their homes for strong winds, by putting away loose items around their home, trimming trees away from properties and not parking vehicles under trees or powerlines.
Never drive, walk, ride through, play or swim in flood water, and any avoid unnecessary travel. Download the Hazards Near Me App to stay across the latest warnings and information.
Call the NSW SES on 132 500 if you need emergency assistance in floods and storms. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000) or visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au
Visit the Department of Education website for up-to-date list on information on schools that are non-operational. A list of TAFE NSW campuses that are non-operation is available on the TAFE NSW website.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"As our communities prioritise their safety and prepare for the arrival of Cyclone Alfred, we are ensuring teachers, students and school staff are not unnecessary placed in harm's way by attending school.
"Keeping our students and families safe must always be our top priority.
"While we usually do not advocate for the closure of schools and places of learning, in these circumstances, an abundance of caution can be what keeps our community safe."
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
"It is important that at this critical time we plan ahead, and we are asking the community to keep their children home from school.
"Please follow the advice of emergency services and continue to check the NSW State Emergency Service website for the latest information and, if you haven't already, download the Hazards Near Me App which includes the latest warnings and information.
"The NSW Government is doing all we can to prepare ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossing the coast later this week and we are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that they are prepared."
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:
"Our number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of our staff, students and their families.
"We are incredibly grateful to our team of dedicated TAFE NSW staff who have a wonderful track record of supporting their communities by ensuring campuses can be turned into evacuation centres during natural disaster events."
Deputy Secretary of Public Schools Deborah Summerhayes said:
"The department is taking a safety-first approach. We know a lot of our North Coast communities have been through difficult periods in recent years - with the 2022 floods still fresh in their memories.
"That's why we are planning for the worst and hoping for the best.
"We want to do everything we can to ensure our school communities are well supported and our staff and students are safe."
