Masks in school in area NOT in local lockdown - England

[Jamdemic]

Anyone else's school in English gone straight in at the deep end for the start of term and made masks compulsory in communal areas like Scotland?
I think the advice is that this is a measure for areas in local lockdown, but my DC school is doing it anyway.
Going to be really really really hard and horrible for pupils new to the school to make any friends or recognise any teachers.

[IckyPop]

Yep, found out today via email. Due to go back tomorrow. Not sure how I feel about it yet. I hate wearing masks but have a partner who was having to shield, so 🤷‍♀️

[ineedaholidaynow]

Surely not all teachers know all pupils in a school, so if they didn't suss out an adult in school uniform, it wouldn't make a difference whether they were wearing a mask or not.

[MrsHamlet]

[quote Isitisntit]@Jamdemic
I'm with you. I think it is appalling and yes, devastating that our children are being treated like this. I am a teacher btw

Also I think it is a MASSIVE safeguarding concern. How easy for a paedo or someone intent on doing serious harm to just put on a school uniform and a mask, and get free access into the school building.

Those who support masks in school make my blood boil[/quote]
I think an adult in a school uniform would be fairly obvious!

[palacegirl77]

[quote Isitisntit]@Jamdemic
I'm with you. I think it is appalling and yes, devastating that our children are being treated like this. I am a teacher btw

Also I think it is a MASSIVE safeguarding concern. How easy for a paedo or someone intent on doing serious harm to just put on a school uniform and a mask, and get free access into the school building.

Those who support masks in school make my blood boil[/quote]
Quite right. The other completely irritating thing is that in the schools own risk assessment it says they should only be worn in corridors. It also says they can be counterproductive and affect learning and education. In their own words - not mine! In our city there were 30 positive cases last week - all the other side of the city. Yet during the peak, looking after key workers kids they didnt wear one. Madness.

[Isitisntit]

@Jamdemic
I'm with you. I think it is appalling and yes, devastating that our children are being treated like this. I am a teacher btw

Also I think it is a MASSIVE safeguarding concern. How easy for a paedo or someone intent on doing serious harm to just put on a school uniform and a mask, and get free access into the school building.

Those who support masks in school make my blood boil

[ineedaholidaynow]

Maybe she felt more comfortable with a mask on when there were lots of parents milling around. There are other posters on MN who are saying they are wearing masks near the school gates as SD is not really possible.

Other places of work will allow employees to wear masks, even if not in the guidance, if they feel more comfortable wearing one.

[palacegirl77]

@ineedaholidaynow

Do you think those children would have been like that without the mask? Seen children like that in other years

Nope, well 2 of them were keyworker children and been in school throughout and the other one has never cried or not gone in (even in reception). We were outside. Why on earth did the teacher need to wear the mask?

[ineedaholidaynow]

Do you think those children would have been like that without the mask? Seen children like that in other years

[palacegirl77]

@ineedaholidaynow

Were the children upset? I think parents are struggling much more with the mask thing than the children are.

My DS’s school have said pupils and staff can wear them if they want, as have the schools I am a governor for.

If I do a governor visit I will have to wear one.

Yes! 6 months out of school and asked to go into a classroom with a woman they didnt know whose face they couldnt see? Of course they were upset. 3 of them were still clinging to their mums sobbing when I left. Luckily Id had the chance to guess they might do this and spoken to my daughter about it. Bang out of order.

[ineedaholidaynow]

Were the children upset? I think parents are struggling much more with the mask thing than the children are.

My DS’s school have said pupils and staff can wear them if they want, as have the schools I am a governor for.

If I do a governor visit I will have to wear one.

[palacegirl77]

@ineedaholidaynow

Many schools are allowing teachers to wear masks if they want to.

Why? What scientific proof is there that that mask is going to do anything at all to help that teacher if none of the kids wear one? Its not gov guidance. It shouldnt be allowed.

[ineedaholidaynow]

Many schools are allowing teachers to wear masks if they want to.

[NotEverythingIsBlackandWhite]

It is devastating to be joining a new school under these conditions.
I think you are being OTT to find this devastating.

[palacegirl77]

Dropped my 6 year old off today. So primary. She hasnt been in school for 6 months (our school apparently could take any recep or y1s) - she has had to go into a new classroom with a new teacher she has never met or spoken to. I was appalled to see the teacher come into the yard wearing a mask. Firstly - this was the first time those kids met her and could only see her eyes. Secondly we were outside and thirdly this isnt guidance so why are the school allowing it? The ONLY thing we categorically know about the use of masks is that if she is the only one wearing one with 27 children not wearing them that mask will give her absolutely no protection at all. Disgusted that schools are allowing this.

[JustSaying101]

@cardibach There's going to be some children that cope well with masks and others that just don't, regardless of what age the child is. Just because someone is of Sixth Form age, doesn't automatically mean that they may cope with something how you expect they should and this can be for a multitude of reasons. Agree with @SansaSnark that a positive attitude towards this new change is important and can help to remove any worries.

[Pixel7777]

Same as CKBJ for our secondary schools trust in the South west area. They can wear them if they want and if it helps them feel less anxious in corridors etc but it is up to them. Mentions low cases in the area as well.

[CKBJ]

In a low case area DS Secondary schools “final” update sent out today. Masks compulsory on school transport. No mask no travel. Up to the individual if they want to wear a mask at school and that could be in corridors/communal areas or even in classes. The same for teachers. Can’t wear same mask on school transport as you would in school. Personally I think this is probably the best approach. If head had said no masks as we’re in a low level area he’d been wrong and if he insisted on masks in corridors/communal areas he’d still been wrong!

[Eccle80]

My year 7’s new school have just said they need masks in communal areas. It doesn’t bother him or me, it is a minimal amount of time as they are mainly staying in form rooms anyway, and I can’t see it impacting on friendships as they don’t need them in the classroom or outside.
We are in a very low case county, but I guess it makes sense to have things clear from the start of the year rather than bringing rules in suddenly

[cardibach]

@SansaSnark OP’s DC is going I to Y12...

[cardibach]

[quote Time2change2]@Jamdemic absolutely agree. I have a Y7 starter and it’s been shit with no transition at all. If masks were brought in for the whole school day including classrooms (as per PP) I would be devastated for my DC. Making new friends and getting to know and feel familiar with teachers is a huge part of feeling secure in a big new place for my just turned 11 year old. No school contact in 6 months either (not my choice) so it’s a big deal.
Much communication is done by facial expression. It must be very hard to hear what teachers are saying with a mask on. They are a huge distraction and negatively impact learning. With it being taken off x amount of times a day, stuffed in a blazer or dropped on the floor or shared between friends I’m not sure how much protection they would actually be?[/quote]
See, I understand the worry a bit with a Y7 starter, though I still think it’s a bit of an overreaction. But OPs son is going into 6th form - I really can’t understand the catastrophising about Not being able to recognise teachers or make friends when we re talking about a 16 yr old. Or all the ‘what kind of shock is this?’ rubbish, either.

[SansaSnark]

I'm a Y7 tutor in a school that will have a similar policy when students come back. I honestly don't think it will be that disruptive to friendships. I think stopping and restarting school (perhaps multiple times) due to cases within the bubble or high levels of teacher absence would be FAR worse!

I do accept that there are other factors involved, but we can't control what happens outside of school, only in school- BUT we can't control that! I do think communal areas present some risk- our school canteen is not well ventilated and lacks space to social distance, but it's our only option for serving school meals. The alternative is probably having the canteen shut, no hot meals, and a packed lunch made daily for FSM children. A lot of parents would be unhappy with this, too.

FWIW, most of the students' social time will be spent outside (before school, break and lunch) whenever possible. Masks won't need to be worn outside.

I think this year will be tricky socially for lots of children for lots of reasons, and we will do our best to help with that, and I plan to do lots of pastoral work during tutor times. That said, I don't think wearing masks in the corridors or in the canteen queue will make much difference? Everyone will be in the same boat and kids are adaptable. We have worn masks in school on results day, and for staff training, and it is still pretty easy to recognise other staff. He'll get used to it!

I do think if you go in with a "this is dreadful" attitude, it will rub off on your DS, even if you don't say anything to him. That won't help him with starting a new school. It's normal to be worried about how he will cope in Y7, especially this year, but he will be ok!

[Ineedtobecalm]

Yes low risk county here but my new year 7 must wear a mask on bus, in corridors and catering area, and in toilets. Different toilets for each year group and their own tent to stand in at break time. Must take two clean masks to school each day. Lots of rules about hand sanitizer, not mingling outside of bubble etc.

The head teacher did a zoom conference to all new students, where he got the message across that he's really looking forward to meeting them all but they need look after the whole school community for the winter ahead, he wanted to keep everyone safe and happy when learning. It was all in the communication style, she's already picked her two face masks and likes the idea of her own special break time tent.

[ineedaholidaynow]

If a classroom is very small, has 30+ pupils in and no ventilation, why would wearing a mask in a corridor but not in the classroom make sense?

[Jamdemic]

hides own thread - carry on deliberately twisting words if it makes you feel better, but you are not lovely, you are a bully, and very rude.

[Jamdemic]

People who twist others' words just to have a dig and imply they are happy for others to die are not lovely