Last week first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that from the end of February rules on face coverings in Scottish secondary schools would be changing.

Face coverings, she explained, would still be required in “indoor communal areas of the school” and those wishing to still wear a mask “should be fully supported in doing so” - but this would no longer be a requirement in class.

Ms Sturgeon said more detailed guidance would follow and, today, that guidance - which also removes the remaining restrictions on assemblies and encourages schools to reintroduce school visits for pupils moving into primary or secondary in August - has been published.

The updated guidance, published today, comes into force on Monday 28 February.

Here are the key messages:

On masks...

Pupils and staff in secondary schools are no longer required to wear face coverings in classrooms. However, any student or staff member who wishes to still wear a mask in the classroom “should be fully supported in doing so”.

Face coverings, the guidance says, should continue to be worn by secondary school pupils and all adults “when moving around the school in corridors, office and admin areas, canteens (except when dining) and other indoor communal areas (including staff rooms and toilets)”.

In primary schools, the guidance says, face coverings should “continue to be worn in classrooms by adults wherever they cannot keep physical distance with other adults and/or children and young people”.

It also says that they should be worn by adults at all times when moving around a primary school or when in a primary’s indoor communal areas.

On large gatherings, including assemblies...

The guidance says “the remaining restrictions on assemblies are now removed” and that “preliminary examinations remain permitted”.

It advises that “schools should continue to employ the relevant mitigations...such as physical distancing, ventilation and the use of face coverings where appropriate”.

In both primary and secondary schools, the rules on distancing state that there is “no requirement for physical distancing between pupils throughout the school day”. But staff and other adults in school “should continue to apply physical distancing when with other adults and with pupils”. 

On ventilation, the guidance says doors and windows should be kept open “as much as possible (weather permitting during winter)” and “when feasible and safe to do so”.

On school visits...

The guidance says the government’s advisors emphasised the importance of enabling school visits “for the purpose of supporting positive transition experiences for children and young people entering P1 or S1”.

It adds: “This means that transition visits can now resume if appropriately risk assessed.”

The most up-to-date guidance for schools can be found here.