No more masks in classrooms - hurray!

[TeddingtonTrashbag]

Hurray!
I am a secondary teacher and just hope it really happens.

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/05/06/exclusive-end-masks-classroom-boris-johnson-defies-unions/

Even non local authority schools?

This move may backfire on the gov if the cases of Indian variant continue rising rapidly. Hopefully they reverse their position very soon to avoid a potential major outbreak. There must be a lot of worried parents.

I know that many Directors of Public Health will be in favour of keeping masks in schools. So if they can be involved I'd imagine schools won't have a problem with having guidance that children who can should wear masks.

@Horst

Ours has emailed saying no masks from Monday apart from staff and visitors when it’s not possible to distance while moving around the school.

They have also however clarified that any pupil not distancing, coughing over anyone for a joke or leaving their designated spaces faces a fixed term exclusion and will be placed in an isolation room for that day until collected.

How stupid. If anything, it’s the 30 children and a teacher in a crowded classroom that need it much more than a visitor who pops in and out.

@Onceuponatime1818

Even non local authority schools?

Link was there if you want to check, I'd have thought so if it's from Dept for Education?

@IloveJKRowling

I know that many Directors of Public Health will be in favour of keeping masks in schools. So if they can be involved I'd imagine schools won't have a problem with having guidance that children who can should wear masks.

Think it is only relevant if the school cases cases of variants of concerns, not just because the Head of PH agrees with face coverings in general. Might be wrong but thats how I read it.

We are still having pupils and their close contacts go off with cases of covid.

5 in our local primary school this week, not all in same class and small school

We've just had an email from our Head at my sons high school to say all high schools in Bury will continue to wear masks. This is probably due to our neighbouring town Bolton having the worst Covid rates in the country!😞

Update from the Govt - schools cannot come up with their own guidance on using masks. Any change to national guidelines MUST be made through the local Director of Public Health or DFE
Indeed!
These schools declaring UDI -on what basis? How presumptuous to decide the know better.
They took advice from the gvt on imposing masks - they should take advice on dropping them.

Well for once I’m glad our head doesn’t give a shit and masks are hopefully staying at our school.

Most the kids will happily continue as they value their education and the staff.

My teacher friend wants mask to remain at the moment as she hasn’t yet had her vaccinations nor have many of her colleagues (including the head).

I was all for dropping masks over summer... But we now have cases in both schools, primary and secondary and my son is having to isolate for 10 days and I haven't had the vaccination yet.... It's going to just rip through schools and alot of parents are under 40 and haven't been vaccinated yet... Let alone not knowing if the kids are going to have silent long term effects from catching covid....

Ds teachers words were. I think well have a bonfire we can throw them all in next week.
They plan to do a small bonfire in the 'outdoor' lesson and do smores then burn masks.

Happy that my school is ditching them from Monday. And in effect a lot are ditching now. Not policing any more. In my last lesson today only 2/30 were wearing them and was joyful!

I really hope this decision doesn't backfire and that local teams can make decisions about this, where there is a variant of concern rapidly increasing numbers.

Seems like this is opening too much, too fast. We're so close to having vaccinations rolled out more effectively and widely. I can't understand the reasoning...

@moimichme

I really hope this decision doesn't backfire and that local teams can make decisions about this, where there is a variant of concern rapidly increasing numbers.

Seems like this is opening too much, too fast. We're so close to having vaccinations rolled out more effectively and widely. I can't understand the reasoning...

It’ll be fine. Latest data is that COVID can be transmitted via aerosols, so unless the children are wearing tightly fitting N95s (they aren’t) then it’s pointless. Keep the window open

Keep the window open

4 story new build schools don’t have windows that open!!!

Keep the window open
if only the windows opened!

[quote palacegirl77]Update from the Govt - schools cannot come up with their own guidance on using masks. Any change to national guidelines MUST be made through the local Director of Public Health or DFE:

"No educational setting should move to implement restrictive measures of the kind set out in the contingency framework without the explicit approval of DfE.""

Source: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986106/Contingency_Framework.pdf[/quote]
I have just read that document.

The text you quote only appears in a section related to 'attendance restrictions'. It does not appear at all in the (separate) section about face coverings. i suspect therefore that it relates specifically to e.g. decisions to restrict numbers of pupils on site through part-time attendance, for example, rather than whether a specific school asks for face masks to be worn in the corridors.

@rainbowfairydust

I was all for dropping masks over summer... But we now have cases in both schools, primary and secondary and my son is having to isolate for 10 days and I haven't had the vaccination yet.... It's going to just rip through schools and alot of parents are under 40 and haven't been vaccinated yet... Let alone not knowing if the kids are going to have silent long term effects from catching covid....

My daughter is isolating too. The issue for me is the fact she was wearing a mask and the confirmed case was also wearing a mask doesn't stop the isolation, so the benefits just aren't there.

My daughter is isolating too. The issue for me is the fact she was wearing a mask and the confirmed case was also wearing a mask doesn't stop the isolation, so the benefits just aren't there.

This is unscientific, unless you have proof that the outbreak wouldn;t have been WORSE without masks.

No one said masks would stop all covid cases.

Seatbelts don;t prevent all car deaths. Bet you still wear yours though.

In my last lesson today only 2/30 were wearing them

Commendable behaviour management and support for your school's measures there. Sure your SLT will feel full of admiration for you.

My DS's borough is instructing schools to keep masks for the meantime.

@IhaveMyMoments

Ds teachers words were. I think well have a bonfire we can throw them all in next week. They plan to do a small bonfire in the 'outdoor' lesson and do smores then burn masks.

Very weird .

I would be very annoyed if teachers push their own views of masks onto the kids. It is a health measure, teachers shoudl not be manipulating kids by pushing their strong pro or anti mask views. I am really pro-masks, but school staff shoudl just be responsible and factual. If they are required, they are required, If they are optional they are optional.