UPDATED - 26th August 2020

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The government has updated since updated its guidance about wearing face masks in schools. The new policy states that face coverings will be mandatory in communal areas and corridors for children in towns and cities that are subject to stricter coronavirus restrictions e.g those in local lockdowns.

In other areas, the use of facemasks will be at the headteachers discretion. The update comes following new guidance from WHO which stated:

"Children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults, in particular when they cannot guarantee at least a one-metre distance from others and there is widespread transmission in the area".

We would advise that all our teaching and support staff have facemasks available to ensure that they do not miss out on any work opportunities. 

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10th August 2020

Current government guidelines advise that face masks or coverings are not required to be worn in schools in England (find out more about the new normal might look like in schools here). This is for three key reasons:

1. Students and staff will be mixing in consistent groups, otherwise known as bubbles
2. Misuse of the masks may inadvertently increase the risk of transmission
3. Face masks have negative effects on communication that will impact education

However, many teaching unions have called on the government to allow teachers and support staff to be able to protect themselves by wearing face coverings in schools. NASUWT’s general secretary, Dr Patrick Roach stated that ‘there is a strong argument that face masks should also be made compulsory for children when they return to secondary schools in September.’

Right now, however, no such changes have come into play. This means that you won’t be required to wear a face mask when teaching in any of the schools we work with (unless told otherwise by one of our consultants). 

The government, does state in its guidance, however, that this is something that will be reviewed based on evidence. With this said, we’d advise all of our teaching and support staff to ensure that they have a face mask available, should these changes be made to avoid missing out on teaching or classroom support opportunities. 

We’ll be sure to update you on this should the guidance change so do keep an eye on your emails. If you have any worries or concerns, remember, your consultant is just a phone call away.