Page 2 | Reception mask wearing

Spudyoulikeit · 2022-02-04T17:34:29+00:00

I’ve just found out that all the staff in my DCs school are wearing masks all day in the classroom. I’m a bit worried as he finds communication difficult sometimes (understanding non verbal cues etc). His hearing is ok. Is anyone else’s school doing this? I thought it wasn’t recommended for teachers looking after children this young.

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

tulipsaremyfave · 06/02/2022 17:01

Where I live in Canada, teachers and children ages 4+ must wear masks all the time at school except outside playtime and while eating. I work with primary aged kids and honestly, I don't see any issues with masks affecting learning at all. Everyone has just got used to it.

Feenie · 06/02/2022 17:06

It’s the same all over the world - only the UK have the UsforThem idiots with not one single brain cell between the lot of them.

Dizzyhedgehog · 06/02/2022 17:54

We're abroad and the same as @tulipsaremyfave. Our kids and staff have been wearing masks throughout for the entire school year. I teach Year 1 and while I might take my mask of for a few minutes when teaching phonics at the front of the room, I am generally wearing an FFP2 mask for the entire day. The kids are used to it by now and it doesn't seem to have had a negative impact.

Russell19 · 06/02/2022 18:00

Seems I'm in the minority but none of my staff in reception are wearing masks. They need to see my face.

spanieleyes · 06/02/2022 18:23

And that's fine. But if you had a serious outbreak and the staff wanted to wear masks until it subsides, what would be your reaction? I would rather keep staff in school wearing masks- either because it reduces the transmission or even just the anxiety that comes from the fear of transmission- than not. When colleagues are on their third bout of COVID, they are naturally cautious.

Russell19 · 06/02/2022 18:56

@spanieleyes

And that's fine. But if you had a serious outbreak and the staff wanted to wear masks until it subsides, what would be your reaction? I would rather keep staff in school wearing masks- either because it reduces the transmission or even just the anxiety that comes from the fear of transmission- than not. When colleagues are on their third bout of COVID, they are naturally cautious.

Don't know if that's aimed at me? Staff can do what they want but really don't think you can teach phonics in reception with a mask so id probably query that. The same goes with teaching new vocabulary, the children really need to see the mouth shapes. I'm not a covid conspiracy theorist or anything but if someone's had it 3 times the masks aren't working anyway are they? Also it's like having a cold 3 times in 2 years.....

Dizzyhedgehog · 06/02/2022 19:02

Well, I wouldn't say they aren't working...what an odd idea. I've had three cases of children testing positive in my class in the past six months. It doesn't spread through the class. Our staff don't usually get it, either. Both children and staff tend to wear FFP2 masks at school.

UpDownRound · 06/02/2022 19:11

Exactly 50% of my class was off with covid last week, and some of the remaining pupils probably had it as well as their siblings did. In that situation, I wore a mask more than normal. No I'm not scared, as suggested by a pp, in fact I wouldn't mind 10 days at home with cold like symptoms, but I'm trying to keep my class open and keep the school open (because we're now at the stage where if I get ill, we probably will have to close as we won't be able to operate safely with the level of staff absence). Re the 'good ventilation' someone mentioned, I have every window open as well as my door all day and despite a small class in a big classroom the CO2 monitor is constantly off the scale red. Not sure where the idea classrooms are well ventilated came from - I'd imagine mine is better than most.

spanieleyes · 06/02/2022 19:12

I've had one teacher off for 3 months with Covid and three more still suffering fromLong COVID symptoms, so not quite like a cold! That was when we didn't wear masks at all. Now if staff want to wear masks, they can do so. If they don't, then they don't. Some wear them in the corridors, some in the classroom, some only if there is an outbreak in their class. They seem to manage well enough and the children do too. They are professionals so , if they need to remove them for different activities, then they will do so. But the choice is theirs, not mine.

Dizzyhedgehog · 07/02/2022 06:24

Our ventilation rule is "20 minutes closed, 5 minutes open". It seems to be working OK and doesn't get too cold. Our heating is on at full blast throughout the school, though.
Having the windows open the entire time. Wow...you must be freezing.

Magicandspiders · 07/02/2022 06:36

Teacher here. I don't wear a mask when teaching (I teach older children) but I am just recovering from covid and it was awful. I had to take three weeks off and am still not fully back to myself. My class have had a number of supply teachers in which isn't ideal and unsettling for them. My classroom is always well ventilated (I have a monitor), I gel my hands regularly but still got it. In a way I wish I had worn a mask because at least my class would have had me for the last three weeks. I don't think it is right to judge anyone's choice. You can't compare teaching to an office job, theatre or restaurant because you will not have people in your face. Reception children hug, touch, sneeze and get right up to your face. They can't help it. I'm sure the staff are taking masks off outdoors which is a big part of reception so I think having them on all the time may an exaggeration. When they teach phonics, they will inevitably take them off.

Scarby9 · 07/02/2022 06:52

We are just coming out of the latest wave here, but for the first month of this year local schools have been hit the worst they have been during the whole pandemic.
One school a fortnight ago had 25% of the children off and over half the staff, including all bar one of the 1-1s ( which are really hard to cover). No supply teachers available (all deployed already).

Saying 'cases are really low' or 'cases are low generally now' is just not relevant if they are not low in your school / community at the time. The school I mentioned above reverted to bubbles and to mask wearing for close contact as well as online assemblies. They have nothing else they can add to the 8 times a day handwashing, requuest to test regularly, windows open regime they already have.

stayingaliveisawayoflife · 07/02/2022 07:05

I am off with Covid now for the first time along with another staff member from my class and half of the children. It is awful and I am having to do oxygen checks every hour. I am CV. When the child I work closest with went positive I knew my time was up. It has been a crazy time but I just hope when we are all back after half term that it will be done for us as the majority of the class will hopefully be immune?

namethattunein1 · 07/02/2022 17:42

@tulipsaremyfave

Where I live in Canada, teachers and children ages 4+ must wear masks all the time at school except outside playtime and while eating. I work with primary aged kids and honestly, I don't see any issues with masks affecting learning at all. Everyone has just got used to it.

Meanwhile a state of emergency is called with the Truckers protest...Is that everyone just getting used to it??

I'm not an anti-vaccer, but surely there must be a workaround with this ? Only younger vaccinated teachers running reception classes, running all classes outside? No scientist would argue that transmission is high outdoors. And what about transparent masks ? Can't Boris bung a few billion to one of his old drinking pals who makes horse manure to start producing them for schools ( they exist after all ).