Face coverings should be worn in corridors and communal areas of colleges in parts of the country with a high risk of Covid-19 transmission, the Department for Education said tonight.

However, the government stressed it was not recommending that face coverings were necessary for colleges generally – instead, colleges would have "the discretion to require face coverings in communal areas if they believe that is right in their particular circumstances".

In a statement published this evening, the DfE said that as a result of new World Health Organisation advice – which states that children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults – it had revised its guidance on face coverings in schools and colleges.

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Communal areas

It said that while the government was not recommending face coverings were necessary nationally, schools would have the discretion to require face coverings in communal areas.

In local lockdown areas, however, additional measures were advised, the DfE added. "In these areas, defined as areas of national government intervention as listed on gov.uk, the government’s guidance will state face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in secondary schools when moving around the school, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

"It will not be necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom, where protective measures already mean the risks are lower, and where they can inhibit learning." 

This revised approach would also apply to further education colleges, the DfE said, adding it would soon publish full guidance that would come into effect on 1 September. 

The announcement comes after the Scottish government said earlier that face coverings would become mandatory in corridors and communal areas in Scottish secondary schools from Monday.

The Scottish government told Tes that although this updated guidance on face coverings applied to schools only, it was in discussions with colleges and universities "in terms of what this means for them".

College students and staff across England are set to return in the first week of September, with many colleges choosing to adopt a blended learning approach between remote and face-to-face delivery. 

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: "In local lockdown areas, children in Year 7 and above should wear face coverings in communal spaces.

"Outside of local lockdown areas, face coverings won’t be required in schools, though schools will have the flexibility to introduce measures if they believe it is right in their specific circumstances. I hope these steps will provide parents, pupils and teachers with further reassurance.”