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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Y7 and 8 masks 😷

58 replies

FranklyMyBeer · 01/01/2022 20:21

If you have a son/daughter Y7 and 8 who has to wear masks in school - what does the school do If they've forgotten or lost it in the morning?

OP posts:
Dizzyhedgehog · 01/01/2022 21:15

We have spares in the office that the kids can get. At the beginning (so...eound about this time last year) their names got written down and after after third one, parents were contacted and charged, if necessary. (We are an independent school, it just gets charged to their account.) However, the kids are meant to have several spares in their bag. Ours are wearing theirs all the time, both inside the building and outside on the playground. They are bound to get dirty and wet. Add to that the fact that some of my Year 1s still quite happily chew on them, I have asked parents to ensure their kids have plenty of spares. I also have spare masks in the classroom. Mine are only the thin medical ones, though. Most of our parents provide child-sized FFP2 ones. (Cloth or homemade or "community" masks are not allowed.)

Witchcraftandhohohokum · 02/01/2022 07:24

I work in a secondary where the parents and kids generally don't care about covid and none of the kids have masks in the morning. We have handed them out on the gates, at considerable cost each day, then the kids refuse to wear them

meditrina · 02/01/2022 08:04

Dept of Ed sends masks to secondaries, so they have a supply they can hand out to pupils who do not have one or have damaged their mask.

Private schools have to source them themselves and can if they wish pass the cost on to parents if they need to supply one.

KiloWhat · 02/01/2022 08:09

@FranklyMyBeer

OK the reason I am asking is that we have now been told they have to pay a £1 donation to charity for a disposable one.

It's an indie prep school.

Seems fair enough. Although if you disagree with the choice of charity maybe you could offer to donate to a different one?
chipshopElvis · 02/01/2022 08:13

They are given one initially and but after that they are charged. State school.

Donatella · 02/01/2022 08:14

I'm surprised how many schools seem to have the budget to given then out for free. DD's school will given them one but they cost 50p or £1 (can't remember for sure); it gets added to their online account for parents to pay.

SavoyCabbage · 02/01/2022 08:14

Mine have had a little bag with about three spares in their actual bag from the beginning. One of my dc is a bit of a worrier.

There is a box in the office though for people who forget.

Sirzy · 02/01/2022 08:16

Our school treat it the same as any other big of the uniform or equipment now so first time they forget it’s a warning, second it’s detention. Seems fair to me.

Ds is mask exempt unfortunately but I also take DN to school. He has a spare one in his bag, one in his blazer and I have one in my glove box just incase.

For now it just needs to be second nature as much as your pencil case is!

meditrina · 02/01/2022 08:16

@Donatella

I'm surprised how many schools seem to have the budget to given then out for free. DD's school will given them one but they cost 50p or £1 (can't remember for sure); it gets added to their online account for parents to pay.
It's because state schools don't have to pay for them, though of course that does depend on the Masks from the Ministry turning up on time and in sufficient numbers.
Exhausteddog · 02/01/2022 08:17

Our school supplies them if people lose or forget them but they've reiterated several times in the school newsletter that we shouldn't (understandably) be expecting school to supply them and that its a good idea for children to bring a spare mask.

Seashor · 02/01/2022 08:17

Good for the school. Masks cost our school an absolute fortune.
In my experience of private school it will be added to your bill! Lost or forgotten anything, including school supplies were replaced by school and added straight onto my bill. It’s a lovely surprise!

NeverForgetYourDreams · 02/01/2022 08:23

Our school says whilst they want children to wear masks they won't deny an education to any that don't. Detention is appalling punishment - most masks don't stop Covid anyway unless medical grade.

I put a spare one in DS school bag for emergencies such as a broken mask

TenoringBehind · 02/01/2022 08:26

Give them a spare one. First time free of charge. Thereafter cost added to fees (private school).

Starlightstarbright1 · 02/01/2022 08:28

Our school gives them out of needed then sends a text with the number given out and a reminder to send them

HelloDulling · 02/01/2022 08:33

Dishes them out at the office.

DS has a ziplock bag with a few disposable ones in his school bag, but he’s actually pretty good at remembering his fabric ones. If they can remember their phone and door key, they can remember their mask.

LadyPenelope68 · 02/01/2022 08:40

@FranklyMyBeer
OK the reason I am asking is that we have now been told they have to pay a £1 donation to charity for a disposable one.
Don’t have an issue with that. Why should the school budget pay for masks for those who forget. Remember a mask and it’s not an issue. Simple.

Makingnumber2 · 02/01/2022 08:43

State secondary here- when kids returned to school in March/April 2021 we had boxes of disposable masks to give to anyone who had forgotten one. Repeat offenders would have phonecall home/detention.
Last half term when masks were advised we had no boxes of spares to provide that I saw- I’m a head of year- and we were told we couldn’t give detentions to repeat offenders forgetting masks/not wearing masks in corridors because it was only government guidance not mandatory. No idea what situation will be this coming week.
Just to say those exempt obviously were never made to wear a mask/set detentions at any point.

Whyarewehardofthinking · 02/01/2022 08:43

We hand out the first one for free and then charge £1 for subsequent ones. We spent over £400 last academic year on masks; can't do that again as we have nothing left!

BeMoreGoldfish · 02/01/2022 08:46

Our school gives them a mask for free if they’ve forgotten but it’s costing them an absolute fortune as the number of kids who’ve “forgotten” on a daily basis is astronomical! I think they should consider a different system as there are clearly lots who are taking the piss!

Makingnumber2 · 02/01/2022 08:46

Oh and i think charging for spares is totally fair enough. I know our school budget was decimated last term due to needing 3-4 supply staff daily for the final month to cover staff covid related absences. Why do you think schools have an extra magic money tree to pay for masks and hand sanitiser etc? Lots will be in budget deficits this year due to increased employer NI contributions needing to be paid.

edwinbear · 02/01/2022 08:59

DS is at private and they also get charged £1 if they forget their mask and need school to supply one. Fair enough really.

Angel2702 · 02/01/2022 09:02

Ours have to carry at least two spares in their bag as part of their equipment. If they don’t have them at equipment check it’s a detention.

If they have no mask at all they have to buy one from the student office and 45 min detention for not having correct uniform.

MsFestiveReindeer · 02/01/2022 09:05

We have a box of masks at the main entrance that they can help themselves to a new one. We also have boxes of masks in each department so we can give them to anyone who loses/snaps their mask.

Ski4130 · 02/01/2022 09:07

My Yr 7 is charged 50p for a disposable one if she forgets hers, Yr 10 gets given them (different school) Both comprehensives. Yr 12 got given a pack of 10 reusable college branded face masks at the start of the year, but they give out disposables if they forget.

Hesma · 02/01/2022 12:32

At my school they collect one from reception