Do children have to wear masks in secondary school?

Schools in England have been permitted to stay open during November lockdown

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From Thursday 5 November, England has gone into a second nationwide lockdown, following the first one in late March, meaning that all non-essential shops, restaurants and pubs must close.

Additionally, Britons have been told to stay at home except for limited circumstances, such as seeking childcare or accessing education at school or university, in order to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Unlike the first lockdown, universities, colleges, nurseries and schools have been permitted to remain open for the duration of this one, which is set to end on 2 December.

On 31 October, Boris Johnson said: "My priority, our priority, remains keeping people in education - so childcare, early years settings, schools, colleges and universities will all remain open. Our senior clinicians still advise that school is the best place for children to be.

"We cannot let this virus damage our children’s futures even more than it has already. I urge parents to continue taking their children to school and I am extremely grateful to teachers across the country for their dedication in enabling schools to remain open."

But are there different rules in schools to keep children safe during the lockdown? Will pupils and teachers have to wear face coverings, and if so is that for the duration of the school day? Here’s everything you need to know.

Do children have to wear face masks at school?

All pupils at secondary schools in England must now wear face masks, the government announced on Wednesday.

In new guidance published online, the government has said that staff and students in Year 7 and above must wear face coverings in school communal spaces i.e. outside of classrooms, where social distancing cannot be maintained.

Prior to this, face coverings were only required for secondary school pupils in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas. 

However, the tiered system has since been replaced by the nationwide lockdown, meaning that all pupils will now have to abide by this rule.

Which children are exempt from wearing face masks at school?

Primary school children do not have to wear face masks at school.

Additionally, older children with special needs or disabilities may also be exempt from having to wear a face covering.

The government website states that “people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability” do not have to wear one.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson commented: "We must put the interests of our children and young people first, especially when the benefits of being in the classroom are clear.

"Children are settled back into their routines and schools have protective measures in place keep their staff and pupils as safe as possible.

"Education is a national priority and we cannot allow it to be disrupted again."

How do face masks work?

Face masks are mainly intended to protect others as opposed to the person wearing them.

They are able to do this because coronavirus usually spreads by aerosol droplets from coughs, sneezes, shouting and speaking.

According to the government website, the latest scientific evidence is that, when used correctly, wearing a face covering may reduce the spread of coronavirus droplets in certain circumstances, helping to protect others.