‘Patchy to poor’ face mask wearing among school pupils

However, the States has stopped short of compelling youngsters to wear masks in the classroom in its latest guidance, despite a quarter of active cases being of school age.

Instead it has again called on parents and carers to make sure that secondary school and post-16 students wear masks in communal areas.

Parents, carers and visitors are also being asked to wear face coverings whenever they are on school grounds, including at drop-off and collection, and when attending any events.

Students must also continue to wear masks on public transport.

‘These measures remain strongly recommended but parents and carers are being asked to take a proactive approach to the wearing of face coverings where appropriate in support of their child’s school,’ said a States’ spokesman.

‘It continues to the case that it is not expected that face coverings will be worn in classrooms or learning areas, where there will be additional mitigation in place.’

Children in primary schools are not being asked to wear face coverings, where the ‘strong recommendation’ is for only adults to do so in situations where physical distancing is not possible.

The number of known active cases of Covid-19 rose to 399 yesterday and figures released by Health and Social Care showed that many of these were among school-aged children who had not been vaccinated.

NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said it was vital that all reasonable steps were taken to ensure that pupils’ education was not further disrupted by Covid as winter set in.

Members were reporting that many pupils were not wearing masks in schools’ communal areas. ‘Ministers need to not only ensure strong mitigations in schools, but also ensure that these rules are enforced in order to minimise the risks to staff and students,’ he said.

‘Against a background of school staffing arrangements currently struggling to maintain normal levels of teaching and learning, teachers report that mask wearing remains “patchy to poor” among students,’ said a National Education Union spokesman.

This serious situation was being compound by a continuing lack of supply and cover staff which the States had failed to address in recent years. ‘Unsurprisingly, our teachers have responded professionally and flexibly to deliver the usual high standard of education, but some find themselves under severe workload pressure at a time when they are also being asked to cope with new administrative demands.’

Les Beaucamps English teacher Sarah Buck, who was one of the organisers of a survey on the future of secondary education, would like to see masks in class insisted upon.

‘Please can the CCA consider masks for students in busy classrooms?’ she wrote on Twitter.

‘We know cases are spreading between this age group and most young people of junior age and above are perfectly capable of popping on a mask. Better than bubble groupings (in secondary).’

BLOB The highest number of active infections by age on Thursday was in 10 to 14-year-olds, with nearly 50 cases. There were nearly 100 cases in people aged under 14.