Plain masks

[TheLetterZ]

School have announced plain masks only! Which I can fully understand as patterned ones aren’t suitable for school and saying plain only is much easier to enforce.

Which brings me to my question. Where can I get plain masks for small headed teens?

Marks and Spencers do a pack of three for £5.

As if back to school wasn't expensive enough!

Superdrug.

Thank you. I’ve ordered online from M&S.

It's a ridiculous requirement, isn't it? Surely pupils wearing a mask, any kind of mask is better than "oh well, my mum said she's not buying any more because x, y, z (usually lack of budget)" and no mask?

DDs school will be giving shields at the entrance and collecting at the end of the day for sanitisation. No masks allowed as too many EAL kids as well as hard of hearing staff. Makes it simple I guess.

I would be emailing the school and saying my child will wear what I've got and if that involves patterns, tough. Masks do not form part of school uniform and are effectively a medical device (even though they're not if you just use a fabric one but that's not the point here).

They're not cheap and now that they're going to be required in English schools as well as Scottish ones, the prices will go up (though if you need plain ones, Seasalt have just reduced their prices and do a pack of three plain ones for about £15).

Our school is doing this and i can see why. Teenagers will always push boundaries and some will wear offensive ones or ones that cause a distraction. I've seen ones with a big grin on which would be annoying for the teacher trying to concentrate on teaching/maintaining discipline. Yes people could email and say "My child is wearing a patterned one - Tough!" But really teachers have got enough to deal with with the ever changing covid guidance and exam fiasco fallout. They've got stretched budgets that they need to spend on making the place clean and safe and would end up having to spend even more on providing masks for the plain mask refusers. I'd cut schools a bit of slack to be honest.

There's a mum on another thread offering to make masks for people...

Whatever you do don't buy the ones from Poundland - DD got caught out and had to buy one and said it smelt rank and made her hot and sweaty. Is currently blaming it for maskne...

I’ve been making ones for DD and her friends out of old school shirts, so bang on school uniform! Fortunately DD’s school has no requirement as it isn’t in a lock down region and masks for DD are more if she decides weather isn’t the best and the bus is better then the 40 minute walk.

@Malmontar

DDs school will be giving shields at the entrance and collecting at the end of the day for sanitisation. No masks allowed as too many EAL kids as well as hard of hearing staff. Makes it simple I guess.

Surprised by this. Shields don't give the required protection. Clear face coverings are recommended (basically a mask with a clear portion) for hearing problems.

Yeah because masks being plain is the most important concern right now

I can understand no gimmick ones (the faces are brilliant though!) as will be a distraction.

But I can't see how stripes v one colour makes a difference?

I think it is hard to say what is a gimmicky one and what isn’t. Which leads scope for teenagers to push it. So easier to say plain and then let the gentle patterned ones slide.

My daughter is nervous about going back and want to compile with the rules so plain we go.

I have made a load of masks, just can’t face making any more. marks and Spencer’s one come in a pack of 5, 3 and plain so for school and 2 patterns so use out of school. £9.50 for 5 so a good price.

Aldi

I have made a load of plain ones in the approved colours (we had the same letter) - and labelled them. Because that's the next thing, isn't it. Lost Property full of the bastard things I wonder if in a couple of weeks the DC can buy the unlabelled lost ones from LP for 20p a go?

Good idea about naming.

That never crossed my mind.

Not an issue for me as ds won't wear one so no chance he'll lose one (just everything else!)

I might find a way to label mine though. But I doubt no one oukd take mine and they are very recognisable.

Another vote for M&S.. I found the adjustable straps make them a better fit on smaller faces.

Schools round here are saying plain or patterned, but no writing.

Etsy has loads of choice

OMG! They are trying to uniform-ise masks?! The important things is they are clean, they cover the nose and mouth and they protect the wearer and those around them from a potentially deadly virus. There are enough new rules to get to grips with already without making up some nonsense ones.

Problem is teenagers push boundaries and there are some masks that aren’t suitable for the school environment, skeleton smiles, inappropriate pictures etc... easier to just say no pattern than say where the rules are.

Vistaprint are now doing three sizes - kids, small adult and large adult. The kids one is a tiny bit small on my small Y8, so I’d have thought small adult would be spot on for a smallish teen. They’ve got plain, patterned and design your own. And they’ve now got rid of the one-use filters and just made them three layer and washable, which will be much easier.

Nice to know where priorities lie isn't it.

As if we haven't all spent enough money and now schools want you to go out and buy more if something.

The qhole mask wearing thing is miserable and a pain in the arse and sometimes a funky design just allows you one teeny bit of fun with it.

Are they gonna send someone home for an emoji mask

Ridiculous