Schools: Coronavirus

(asked on 22nd March 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 Mar 2021 to Question 159297 on Schools: Coronavirus, what other information or advice has been provided to (a) schools, (b) parents and (c) young people on applying exemptions from wearing face coverings in schools and classrooms; and which advice or guidance from his Department sets out what action should be taken if masks are removed to aid communication between teachers and pupils.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 30th March 2021

The Department’s advice on face coverings is outlined clearly in published guidance, which can be found at the following links: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-in-education.

We have also published information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges in the spring term 2021. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

Our recommendation regarding the use of face coverings in classrooms applies to those in schools and colleges where Year 7 and above are educated unless social distancing can be maintained in classrooms. Whilst we recognise that the wearing of face coverings may impact communication, increased use of face coverings will strengthen the current safety measures in place in schools and support the return to face to face education.

As the guidance outlines, those who rely on visual signals for communication, or communicate with or provide support to such individuals, are currently exempt from any requirement to wear face coverings in schools and colleges or in public places. The same exemptions apply in schools and we expect staff, pupils and students to be sensitive to those needs, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.

Schools should follow the system of controls as outlined in our guidance and put in place proportionate control measures that suit their individual circumstances, based on a thorough risk assessment. This should include making reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils and students to support them to access education successfully.

We continue to provide information to the sector on our guidance, and any changes to it, through regular departmental communications. These additional precautionary measures will be kept under review and we will update guidance as necessary.

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