On the first day of the new school term, thousands of Queensland students were left twiddling their thumbs after the government's "learning from home" website crashed on Monday morning.

Despite having weeks to prepare for the influx of students planning to access school online, both the Education Department and the Brisbane Catholic Education website buckled under the pressure of increased demand.

Grace Merriman (front), 8, and her sister Audrey, 9, are seen learning from home on the first day of term 2 in Brisbane. Credit:AAP Image/Dan Peled

Both sites were back up by 10.10am.

At least the first five weeks of term 2 will be learning from home, with only children of essential workers encouraged to attend school in person.