The government is set to make a major U-turn by announcing that wearing face masks will be near-mandatory in communal areas of secondary schools, according to sources.
Tes understands that both Public Health England and the Department for Education have signed off on this new policy.
An announcement could come as soon as this afternoon, sources say.
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The move comes as it was announced that secondary students in Scotland will have to wear face coverings in school corridors and communal areas from Monday.
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Regarding a U-turn in England, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the NEU teaching union, said: “This was probably inevitable following the announcement that it had been mandated by the Scottish government and following the advice from the World Health Organisation on the need for masks.
“What would be nice, though, is if on major changes like this we didn’t first of all have denial and then a U-turn from the Department for Education, which creates needless uncertainty and further reinforces the impression that they are all over the place.”
Earlier today, the Association of School and College Leaders said that, as evidence continued to emerge, Westminster should review its guidance on the need to wear masks in schools in England.
Some school leaders have spoken out against masks in schools. Katharine Birbalsingh, headteacher of Michaela Community School in North London, called the policy “madness”.
If the Tories do this, they are utterly spineless and care only about LOOKING like they are doing something.
Where is the leadership?!
Where is the backbone?!
Masks make kids less safe: touching each other’s faces.
Also chaotic behaviour.
Madness. https://t.co/urvVcaQSgK
- Katharine Birbalsingh (@Miss_Snuffy) August 25, 2020
England’s deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, has said the evidence on whether children over 12 should wear masks in schools was “not strong”, while education secretary Gavin Williamson said previously that measures being adopted by schools to limit the spread of the coronavirus meant masks were not required.
The DfE has been approached for comment.
Ian Noon, chief policy advisor at the National Deaf Children’s Society, said: “Face masks in education would have serious consequences for the UK’s 50,000 deaf children.
“For many, there may be little benefit in even attending school or college because they won’t understand their teachers and classmates, with loneliness and isolation a tragic result.
“Public health must always be the priority, so if face masks are introduced, schools and colleges must be ready to meet deaf pupils’ needs by investing in clear face masks, making every reasonable adjustment possible and urgently discussing the best way forward with specialist teachers, parents and deaf pupils themselves.
“Education is a right, not a privilege, and this does not change because you’re deaf.”
