Facemasks when on school premises -outside

[tinseloatcake]

I'm interested in whether schools are generally still expecting parents to do this, or indeed whether schools who have requested this have put an end date - proposed or confirmed.

I'm pretty naffed off with this as an approach. I am happy to wear a face mask when interacting with teachers or in the busy walk through bit for the reception drop off, but I am less than happy to wear a facemask for the 20 mins I am standing outside on my waiting for the bonkers staggered entry for my older children

We had a letter from the director of public health today via the school with latest news and it referenced only wearing facemasks indoors when moving about or in conjested areas. So I politely asked the school when they might review the policy and asked if they could make it more proportionate.

I got a flat no, and September at the earliest for a review. No further explanation.

Is this in the realms of normal?

Our school seem to be keeping them. The staggered start and end haven’t really made any difference.

Every one as a normal person arrived 5-10minutes early. So in the morning the last group in still arrive to wait not long after the first. If you have siblings you are there for likely the whole time.

End of school can be upto a 30 minutes wait but they call in one group say year 3/4 parents just as 1/2 parents are going out the gates so they all squish by each other and again maybe parents just waiting around due to siblings.

I have a 5 minute gap in the morning but 20 minutes in the afternoon. Doesn’t actually make sense.

The Staggered times are really inconvenient. Pre covid I dropped off at 8.30, collected at 3. So my working hours reflected this. Now one of mine goes in at 9 and another is collected at 2.40. So nearly an hour less of work I can do.

I will wear masks forever more if they scrap that!

Agree about staggered times. It has gone on to long and a pain in the butt. Testing twice a week or masks is far less trouble than staggered starts and finishing.

Two weeks ago my dc's school announced that wearing a mask is now parental choice as long as you social distance on the premises. I am no longer wearing a mask at drop off or pick up unless I need to speak to a member of staff as I rarely see anyone I know to chat to due to the extended start and finish times. However, most parents are still wearing their masks, although I'm fairly certain that by tomorrow afternoon many more will decide not to wear masks (unless it's made compulsory again) when they realise how hot and sweaty they are in temperatures above 15 degrees.

Get this.... My kids go to a small rural first school, we have staggered start/end times, siblings go together, outside pick up and have to stand on dots. My kids pick up time has a maximum of 10 parents. We have to wear masks. It's ridiculous but whatever. Never had a single case or bubble burst. Anyway, I went for a meeting at the school this week and when I got into the building, I was told I could take my mask off! I was pleased because I'd happily never wear one again but why the over kill of all the outside rules?

We’ve never had to wear them at school pick up/drop off as we have two large playgrounds we can distance on. The risk outside is very low so I think it’s pointless anyway in most cases.

The combination of staggered starts and a small waiting area mean that there are a lot of people stood in a relatively small space at pickup time.

And I don't really care either way about wearing masks at pickup, but I have often noticed people leaning in closer to try to hear what others are saying when they are wearing them.

Our school are still asking for masks.

I comply, but I believe it's utterly ridiculous and over the top, as I like the headteacher I am going along with it, half of the parents don't bother anyway or wear the mask round their chin or under their nose they are the ones who congregate too ffs. No one says anything to them.

I think that even the teachers think it's crazy as they always seem to pull their masks down to speak to parents!

Places will keep on requiring these things as long as the general public are willing to put up with it.

We still have to wear masks for drop off and pick up. It's outside, and staggered. I get there at the end of the 20 minute soft finish slot and usually only one other parent in DC's class overlaps. The mask is pure Covid theatre. But...it's a tangible reminder we still need to take care. It's in placs without any fussing, if a teacher wants to grab a quick word. Other parents do arrive in a bunch at the start of the slot and stand around chatting so maybe masks are of some help there.
End of the day (1) it's a small gesture to make to help others in the community feel safer (2) the school has been great on ventilation and on maintaining distancing between classes, and there have been zero burst bubbles - some individual kids have been off self isolating because parents had Covid but no in school transmission yet - so I am content to do as asked re masks on the basis they do also have a handle on the important mitigation measures.

Our eldest DD school sent an email out yesterday saying that masks at drop off and pick up can be removed from the 21st June hopefully. I'm looking forward to a morning with no steamed up glasses!

How can they make you do it past June 21st ? If all restrictions are dropping then?

In our school, parents are still expected to wear a mask while queuing up outside the school for drop off and pick up. Over the last few weeks I've seen less and less people wearing them, the last few days I admit I haven't worn one at the school. It's outdoors and I don't get really close to anyone.

There's almost no chance of catching COVID standing apart from people outdoors.

The mask rule for pick up and drop off is bonkers now. Its an example of sectors making up their own covid rules or failing to update them.

I rarely have to do the school run but if I do I don't wear a mask unless I need speak to someone from a space of less than 2 metres.

@Spekoppar

We’re still wearing them and I’m happy to do so. The school have said that they don’t expect the various measures they have in place to change until September at the earliest. It’s really no big deal to wear one and I think the school have far more pressing matters to deal with than parents who want to argue the toss on such a minor inconvenience.

For some people it's no big deal but for others it's a huge deal. Having a son who communicates and uses facial expressions as a means of communicating makes day to day life very difficult for him.

I have yet to see any but the smallest of schools that allow for 2m social distancing between parents and carers at drop off and collection times.

How big are the grounds at some of these schools?

@DumplingsAndStew

I have yet to see any but the smallest of schools that allow for 2m social distancing between parents and carers at drop off and collection times.

How big are the grounds at some of these schools?

Ours doesn’t want you on site unless picking up so we are all on the footpath outside but told not to arrive early. However only get 5 minutes from their year being called to go in to register closed.