Parents and the teachers' union in Queensland say social distancing at schools is proving virtually impossible, with no space in classrooms to keep students apart.

Key points: The Queensland Teachers Union says most classrooms are too small to make social distancing work

The Queensland Teachers Union says most classrooms are too small to make social distancing work Some teachers also say they can not get enough supplies of soap and sanitiser

Some teachers also say they can not get enough supplies of soap and sanitiser Federal and state authorities say health experts insist schools should stay open

The Federal Government has banned non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people but schools remain exempt.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said shutting down schools would be "catastrophic".

"We cannot disrupt our schools for what would be at least six months," she said.

However, parents and teachers say keeping teenagers and children away from each other, whether in class or during breaks, is proving very difficult.

Queensland Teachers' Union president Kevin Bates said it was virtually impossible to keep children apart.

"There is no space in classrooms for social distancing," he said.

"If all of the students are in a classroom, those classrooms are completely full, both with the desks and chairs students would be sitting at.

"In a classroom of 28 students, it's not possible to keep a reasonable distance between each student."

One Brisbane primary school teacher told the ABC: "Last week at my school we were dealing with the regular 'germiness' of primary-aged children … remind students you shouldn't stand on toilets, remove the lid from cisterns and wee on the floor, don't lick the desk, don't suck your ponytail.

"This week, we are now responsible for teaching five to 11-year-olds, while also ensuring they regularly wash their hands and we socially distance them and ourselves. This is impossible.

"For one, most classrooms are not big enough.

"Then we are told we need to be patient as our requests for replacement soap, paper towels and hand sanitiser cannot be met."

Students still clumped together on computers at the library in a state high school in Brisbane's west. ( Supplied )

School staff are also saying there is no continuity from classroom to classroom.

The ABC has been sent photographs of students in close contact at one of Queensland's largest state high schools, in western Brisbane.

Students in one classroom are a metre apart, while in others they are in close contact.

During the lunch break, teachers said the same students have been sitting in groups and were not kept apart, making the classroom social distancing attempts futile.

At Brisbane Central State School, the ABC has been told students continue to gather outside in groups and at Queensland's largest high school, Kelvin Grove State College, teachers have little chance of keeping its 3,300 students a safe distance apart.

Social distancing is impossible at Kelvin Grove State College, which has more than 3,000 students. ( ABC News )

"We know that what teachers are doing is the best possible in the circumstances based on the age of the students and the physical environment in which they're working," Mr Bates said.

Other teachers have said there is no continuity across the state, with some schools using separated desks while others take no precautions.

Despite many schools looking at cancelling organised sport, Australia's chief health officer Brendan Murphy remains adamant children are safer in the classroom for now.

"We believe very strongly that it's in the best interest of our children and the nation at this time to keep schools open," he said.

Late on Thursday, Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace said schools would be provided with additional resources "to enable progressive cleaning across the course of the day".

Declining school attendance

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His sentiments have been echoed by Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace.

"Schools should remain open and, I repeat, the expert health advice is that schools should remain open," she said.

"The health, wellbeing and safety of students always comes first.

"If this expert health advice changes, our instruction to schools will change.

"I urge every parent to listen to this expert health advice, not the rumour and gossip on social media.

"If you are a teacher or a cleaner or work in the office at a school and if you are unwell, you must stay at home."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 3 minutes 57 seconds 3 m 57 s Dr Norman Swan explains coronavirus terminology

But All Saints Anglican School on the Gold Coast was not convinced its classroom were the best place for students and moved to online learning ahead of the Easter holidays.

Toowoomba Grammar, regional Queensland's largest boarding school, has already seen a decline in attendance and will also close its doors from next Wednesday, a week out from the school holidays.

Headmaster Peter Hauser said some parents had indicated they wanted their sons to be back home as the COVID-19 infection rate continued to climb.

"Let's trial an online learning presence because who knows in term two what's going to happen," he said.

"We're trying to be innovative, we're trying to be supportive in a difficult situation."

Mr Hauser said teachers at the school had conducted extensive training and trial runs of online classes.

"The vast majority [of parents] are welcoming it. We've already seen a decline in attendance where some parents are wishing their son to be back home," he said.

Parents take matters into their own hands

Noosa mother Louise Fitzgerald is keeping her four children at home. ( ABC News: Sally Rafferty )

Noosa mum Louisa Fitzgerald is taking matters into her own hands, keeping her children at home even though their school remains open.

The mother of four said she felt it was the safest move, especially since the two eldest had finished their assessments for the term.

"If they don't need to be at school mixing with people that are either sick or they could make sick, then just best to keep them at home," she said.

"I feel for the teachers at school because they will be doing their best to try and isolate the kids, but kids are kids and they will still … high-five and all that kind of stuff, so I think it would be really hard to keep them apart."