On 13 March 2020 all schools closed due to COVID-19, affecting 4.2 million primary and secondary students and 578,000 preschool children across Sri Lanka. Although it has had to face serial school closures and reopenings, it was the first country in South Asia to reopen its schools fully in August 2020 (for the first time). This case study examines the integrated approach that underpinned this success; namely, a joined-up approach involving education, health, water and sanitation, nutrition, child protection, communication, advocacy and community engagement.