Queensland teacher forgets about seven-year-old student, leaves him at public pool

A Queensland grandmother says heads must roll after teachers left her seven-year-old grandson at a public pool, prompting the distressed child to try to walk home.

The boy was found crying on a Townsville street after he was accidentally left behind after a school swimming carnival at a local pool on Wednesday.

He'd tried to make his own way home after realising his teachers and class mates had boarded a bus and left while he was in the change rooms.

Barbara Taylour says anything could have happened to the boy, and she's demanding those responsible lose their jobs.

"It's 11 years this week since Daniel Morcombe went missing," she told the Townsville Bulletin.

"Jaecob was even wearing a red shirt [the colour of the shirt Daniel was wearing when he disappeared]. Were we going to be that family today searching for our son and grandson?"

Ms Taylour later told the ABC she wanted the teachers responsible and the principal of Cranbrook State School sacked.

"They are supposed to be able to count," she said.

An education department spokesman told the newspaper that staff quickly realised the boy was missing, and searches were launched at the pool and the school.

Staff were still looking for him when a member of the public found the boy crying on the street, about half a kilometre from the pool.