Face coverings ‘not recommended’ for use in classrooms
FACE COVERINGS are not recommended for use in classrooms where social distancing is in place and where bubbles ensure that contacts are known, Education has clarified.
Schools have adopted safety measures other than wearing face coverings to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.
Face coverings are ‘strongly recommended’ for adults and older learners when moving around the building and in communal areas where it is harder to monitor who people may have come into contact with.
Schools will work with individual families to support children who may feel uncomfortable wearing a face covering and have put plans in place to ensure that everyone can be welcomed back to school safely.
No child or adult will be forced to wear a face covering. While they are strongly recommended, they are not mandatory in education. Face coverings are not recommended for primary-aged children, but they can wear one if they choose to do so.
Adults in primary schools are also strongly recommended to wear them in communal areas and when moving around the building.
Reduced seating will be available on school transport, with strict social distancing in place to limit mixing across year-groups. Parents were asked to apply for a place on buses before schools reopened and secondary-aged children will be required to wear face coverings on school buses.
Schools sent letters to parents before students returned to explain how things were going to work because some arrangements, such as staggered start and finish times, will vary between schools. Parents dropping their child off at school or picking them up at the end of the day are also encouraged to wear face coverings.
