The government announced yesterday that it was going to change its guidance on the use of face coverings in colleges and schools. While nationally, it is up to college leaders to decide if they want coverings to be worn in communal areas, they “should be worn” in colleges in local lockdown areas where the infection risk is higher.

But what does the guidance say on how this should happen, and why?

The government says its new guidance follows a World Health Organisation statement published on 21 August about children and face coverings, advising that “children aged 12 and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults”.

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It says that nationwide, face coverings are not necessary in education settings generally “because a system of control, applicable to all education environments, provides additional mitigating measures”.

However, schools and colleges “will have the discretion to require face coverings in communal areas where social distancing cannot be safely managed, if they believe that it is right in their particular circumstances”.

When should face coverings be worn?

According to the Department for Education’s guidance, examples of where education leaders might decide to recommend the wearing of face coverings include:

• where the layout of the school or college estate makes it particularly difficult to maintain social distancing when staff and pupils are moving around the premises,
• and where, on top of hygiene measures and the system of controls recommended in the full opening guidance to schools and FE colleges and providers, permitting the use of face coverings for staff, pupils or other visitors would provide additional confidence to parents to support a full return of children to school or college. 

In local lockdown areas, face coverings should be worn by staff and students when moving around, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

“As in the general approach, it will not usually be necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom, where protective measures already mean the risks are lower, and they may inhibit teaching and learning,” says the DfE.

“In the event of new local restrictions being imposed, schools and colleges will need to communicate quickly and clearly to staff, parents, pupils and learners that the new arrangements require the use of face coverings in certain circumstances. This updated guidance on face coverings for areas of national government intervention will come into effect on 1 September.”

How should face coverings be used?

The government says it is vital that face coverings are worn correctly and that clear instructions are provided to staff and students.

It adds that the safe wearing of face coverings requires cleaning of hands before and after touching – “including to remove or put them on – and the safe storage of them in individual, sealable plastic bags between use”. “Where a face covering becomes damp, it should not be worn and the face covering should be replaced carefully.”

“On the basis of current evidence, in light of the mitigating measures education settings are taking, and the negative impact on communication, face coverings will not generally be necessary in the classroom even where social distancing is not possible,” says the guidance.

“There is greater use of the system of controls for minimising risk, including through keeping in small and consistent groups or bubbles, and greater scope for physical distancing by staff within classrooms. Face coverings can have a negative impact on learning and teaching and so their use in the classroom should be avoided.”

Where will students and staff get face coverings from?

According to the government, it is “reasonable to assume that staff and young people will now have access to face coverings due to their increasing use in wider society, and Public Health England has made available resources on how to make a simple face covering”. 

However, it says that colleges should “take steps to have a small contingency supply available” for anybody struggling to access a face covering, or where they are unable to use their face covering due to having forgotten it or it having become soiled or unsafe. “No-one should be excluded from education on the grounds that they are not wearing a face covering.”

Does everyone have to wear them?

Some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings, including people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment or disability or if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expression to communicate. The same exemptions will apply in education settings, says the DfE.