Children in the same year group bubble should be exempt from the Rule of 6 (as with families and support bubbles), to allow leisure activities and visits to businesses or outdoor spaces together. If anyone from outside the school bubble is present, the Rule of 6 should still apply, as before.
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Current rules permit students in the same year group to be at school in large groups without social distancing - but it is illegal for them to be outside of school in groups of more than six.
This leads to an unpleasant situation - students are only able to see their group of friends during school time, excessively limiting their interactions with those who are important to them.