Just a day before the second lockdown kicks in, the Department of Education (DfE) have issued new guidance; "face coverings should be worn by adults and children aged 11 and above when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms or activity rooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained", and the same applies to further education colleges.
This should be implemented as soon as possible, however the department said, but can have until Monday 9 November if they require additional time.
Face coverings had already been required for secondary school pupils within areas under Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions in England, with those local restrictions now to be replaced by the national measures.
Those who are exempt from wearing face coverings are primary school children and those older children with special educational needs or disabilities. It will also remain at the discretion of primary schools as to whether staff and visitors should wear face coverings in communal spaces.
The announcement brings English schools more in line with their Scottish counterparts who have been under stricter COVID-19 restrictions for several weeks.
The DfE also says teachers with serious underlying health issues should keep away from the premises. "Those individuals who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to work from home and not to go into work," the guidance says. "Staff should talk to their employers about how they will be supported, including to work from home where possible, during the period of national restrictions.” "All other staff should continue to attend work, including those living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable."
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, said the lockdown was announced four days ago and that it "beggars’ belief that schools have had to wait until now to find out how it affects them". "Frankly, it is ridiculous that this new guidance has landed on school leaders' desks less than 24 hours before the start of the national lockdown. "There is very little in the guidance that could not have been communicated with schools 72 hours ago."
Mr Whiteman also expressed concern about the impact vulnerable teachers staying at home would have a schools' ability to operate. "Given the restrictions around clinically extremely vulnerable staff, the reality is that some schools may now find it increasingly difficult to remain open to all pupils."
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the move, but said: "It will mean that there are more staff missing from the workplace, on top of those who are self-isolating. "It is imperative that the government reimburses schools and colleges with the cost of hiring supply cover for staff absence. "We have received reports of schools having to spend £6,000 per week on supply cover, and this situation is going to become worse - schools and colleges cannot sustain these costs."
Mr Barton said the extension to the rule on face coverings was a "sensible response to rising Covid levels, and will act as an extra level of protection on top of the other safety measures in schools". He added: "The government's education recovery planning does need to take into account the impact of these restrictions on health and wellbeing."
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "We must put the interests of our children and young people first, especially when the benefits of being in the classroom are clear.
"Children are settled back into their routines and schools have protective measures in place keep their staff and pupils as safe as possible.
"Education is a national priority and we cannot allow it to be disrupted again."
David Goodhew, head of £21,000 a year Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, said a survey of staff at his school found they feel reassured by pupils having to wear masks in the classroom.
Since August, pupils at the school had to wear masks in lessons and in communal areas. Mr Goodhew said: “Pupils and staff in the classroom are still wearing masks and that has worked well for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if more schools followed suit.” He added: “Our experience is that there are solutions to the two main objections, namely pupil discomfort and problems with communication.”
Mr Goodhew said he does not believe that schools are “engines of transmission” of Covid-19, but added: “I think people who work in schools are absolute heroes. Everyone else is being told stay at home if you can, but teachers are going in.” He said it was vital for the mental and physical health of children that schools stay open, and warned that many have “whole year groups or large numbers of staff who are off having to isolate as a precaution and waiting a long time to get test results back”.
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100 things to do before leaving secondary school
Following on from 100 things to do before leaving primary school TES surveyed 2,500 secondary students to discover the experiences they value most at school. As well as being a place of academic learning, schools are also an environment where young people learn valuable life lessons and gain experiences that will shape them as adults. Teachers and parents alike have strong views on what these lessons and experiences should be, but what do the students themselves value?
Here are the top 100 things secondary children believe what every child before the age of 16 should have done at school…
Fall asleep in class
Fall off a chair because you were rocking back on it
Gain the ability to live on your own
Have your teacher contact home with positive news
Learn how to be good at interviews
Learn how to look after someone or something
Try school dinners
Be hit in the face by a ball
Be proud of some work that you’ve done
Throw an old pen in the bin from across the room – and get it in
Kick a ball over the fence
Learn how to save money
Be told to tuck your shirt in, tuck it in, and then walk around the corner and untuck it
Forge your parent’s signature in your planner at least once
Wear PE kit from the lost property bin
Give a speech to an audience
Be told how to buy a house
Look after a fake baby for a week
Learn how to do CPR
Get to a cake sale while there are still cakes left
Win something
Lose something
Learn to trust/be trusted
Learn about taxes
Lead a group of people
Take part in community outreach work
Learn how to cope with anxiety and stress about exams
Learn how to look after yourself
Learn what to do if you are in debt
Spend your dinner money on sweets before school
Dress up for World Book Day
Wear uniform on non-uniform day
Run a charity event
Learn how to love yourself
Have your phone go off in a lesson
Learn the staff wi-fi code
Experience disappointment
Learn from your mistakes
Educate a teacher on new social trends and terms
Dissect something in science
Get a part-time paid job
Draw on your friend's book
Experience loyalty from a friend
Take part in a school production
Visit an old people's home
Forget to do homework
Have a school romance
Experience the need to be resilient
Listen to music in lessons
Break something and deny all knowledge
Go with your parents to parents’ evening
Talk to someone new
Find a hobby you are passionate about
Mix with pupils from other schools
Push a pull door
Visit the school nurse
Rename British Bulldog because it's banned
Go on work experience
Have a favourite teacher
Get a selfie with your favourite teacher
Know when it’s important to tell a teacher something − and that it isn’t landing your friend in it, but helping them
Own up to a mistake you’ve made
Have a water fight
Try a new look
Get a detention
Be in a band
Experience different cultures
Call the teacher "mum" or "dad"
Learn when not to speak
Put your hand up in class… and get something right
Get a grade you're proud of
Be given responsibility
Try new sports
Stand up for someone
Stand up for yourself
Go to the end-of-year prom
Go to a national sporting event
Have an embarrassing school photograph
Vote in a school election
Be in a class with none of your friends
Represent the school in an activity – academic or sporting
Laugh out loud in a quiet class
Do a tour around the school for a visitor
Have a piece of work on display
Walk into the wrong class
Have the class go silent just as you say something embarrassing
Be more confident and talk to those who have different views
Fall or trip in front of everyone
Be a role model for younger students
Make a best friend for life
Do homework during break or lunch for the next lesson
Take a risk
Take part in after-school activities
Partake in a moment of bravery
Get annoyed with a friend but remain friends
Draw a self-portrait
Watch a film in class
Fall out with a friend
Have a mini heartbreak over "the one"
Say sorry to someone you hurt
