NewsEducationEducation NewsOmicron: Face masks must be worn again in secondary schools and colleges, government says

‘Temporary and precautionary’ measure will take effect from Monday

Tom BatchelorSunday 28 November 2021 21:29 comments Article bookmarked

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Don't show me this message again✕ ✕Close

Related video: England ‘nowhere near’ introducing tougher Covid restrictions, Sajid Javid says

Face masks should be worn in communal areas in England's schools and colleges as part of efforts to slow the spread of the omicron Covid variant, the government has said.

Pupils in year 7 and above, plus staff and visitors, are being “strongly advised” to wear a face covering under the “temporary and precautionary” measure, which will take effect from Monday.

Masks will not be required in classrooms and exemptions will remain in place for those who have a medical reason not to wear one.

Nadhim Zahawi, the education secretary, said the measure was a “targeted and proportionate action as a precaution while we find out more information about the new variant”.

He added: “We will continue to prioritise children's and young people's education and wellbeing, making sure education and childcare settings are as safe as possible and children continue to benefit from classroom teaching.

Recommended

• What is Plan B for tackling Covid in the UK this winter?
• Bring back mandatory masks to defend against a winter Covid outbreak
• Holidaymakers may need three jabs to travel abroad next summer

“We are working with education and childcare settings to enhance safety measures where needed, including introducing isolation for 10 days for close contacts of suspected omicron cases.”

Students in Year 7 or above should also continue to wear face coverings on public and dedicated school transport, unless they are exempt, the Department for Education (DfE) said, and staff and students should continue to be encouraged to test themselves twice a week using lateral flow tests.

The department also said schools, out of school settings and colleges will “want to consider” whether to go ahead with any planned international trips at the current time, given the potential risk to education from the need to isolate and test when returning to the UK.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) backed the move, saying it was a “sensible response to the risks posed by the omicron variant of Covid-19”.

(function({ document }) { var script = document.createElement('script'); script.defer = 'true'; script.onload = function () { playincVideo && playincVideo('playinc-article-component-10').setup({ customparams: 'article%3D1965688%26gs_channels%3Desi_safe%2Csafe_from_essence_blacklist%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_ttd_uk_blocklist_mar21%2Cgs_education%2Csafe_from_emirates_blacklist%2Cgs_education_misc%2Cgv_safe_adult%2Cgv_safe_arms%2Cgv_safe_crime%2Cgv_safe_death_injury%2Cgv_safe_download%2Cgv_safe_drugs%2Cgv_safe_hatespeech%2Cgv_safe_military%2Cgv_safe_obscenity%2Cgv_safe_terrorism%2Cgv_safe_tobacco%2Cpos_amazon_carnival_row_04%2Cpos_amex_2020%2Cpos_amex_blocklist_sep21%2Cpos_animal_cruelty%2Cpos_bp%2Cpos_burberry%2Cpos_cartier1_usa%2Cpos_cartier2_usa%2Cpos_castrol_nov20%2Cpos_covid19_leicester%2Cpos_facebook%2Cpos_facebook_oct20%2Cpos_facebook_policy_affairs%2Cpos_heinz_blacklist_jul21_01%2Cpos_hoopla_next_mar21%2Cpos_hsbc_oct20%2Cpos_inskin_safe%2Cpos_keyword_blacklist_microsoft%2Cpos_lg_aug20%2Cpos_loopme_negkeywords_2020%2Cpos_lvmh%2Cpos_mfk%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_01%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_02%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_03%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_04%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_05%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_06%2Cpos_microsoft_kwlist_jul21_07%2Cpos_o2_havas_jan21%2Cpos_philip_morris%2Cpos_philip_morris_1%2Cpos_philip_morris_10%2Cpos_philip_morris_11%2Cpos_philip_morris_12%2Cpos_philip_morris_13%2Cpos_philip_morris_14%2Cpos_philip_morris_15%2Cpos_philip_morris_16%2Cpos_philip_morris_17%2Cpos_philip_morris_18%2Cpos_philip_morris_19%2Cpos_philip_morris_2%2Cpos_philip_morris_20%2Cpos_philip_morris_3%2Cpos_philip_morris_4%2Cpos_philip_morris_5%2Cpos_philip_morris_6%2Cpos_philip_morris_7%2Cpos_philip_morris_8%2Cpos_philip_morris_9%2Cpos_sabic%2Cpos_sabic_mobkoi%2Cpos_saudiaramco_nov20%2Cpos_society_lgbt%2Cpos_sukin_jan21%2Cpos_terrorism_blacklist%2Cpos_test%2Cpos_tourismireland%2Csafe_from_facebook_blacklist%2Csafe_from_mobkoi_facebook_keyword%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_diageo_nov20%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_tesco_groupm_gps_nov20%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_worldwildlifefund_november20%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_intel_feb21%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_audi_oct20%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_audi_ias_kw_list_jan21%2Cgs_covid19%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_cartier4_usa%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_porsche_ias_kw_list_jan21%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_seat_ias_kw_list_jan21%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_skoda_ias_kw_list_jan21%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_vwcv_man_vwfs_ias_kw_list_jan21%2Cindy_retirement-conscious_nov16%2Csafe_aegis%2Cshadow9hu7_safe_from_aegis_blacklist%2Capple_corevalues_negkeywords_2020%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_t10_tanqueray%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_tanqueray_4000kw%2Cgs_education_university%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_cartier5_usa%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_vw_2020%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_loop_me%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_collective_december2020%2Cgs_health_misc%2Cwork_from_home%2Cshadow9hu7_pos_cartier3_usa%2Cgs_family_children%2Cneg_fresh8%2Cshadow9hu7_safe_from_asda%2Cgv_safe%26topictags%3Domicron%2Ccovid%2Cface-masks%2Cschools%2Cengland%2Cpupils%2Cs_news%2Cs_education%2Cs_education-news', dunit: '71347885/_main_independent/in_news/in_education/video/article_hub', path: '/news/education/education-news/omicron-face-masks-school-covid-b1965688.html', mediaid: 'OIruYwNe', title: 'Omicron%3A%20Face%20masks%20must%20be%20worn%20again%20in%20secondary%20schools%20and%20colleges%2C%20government%20says', text: '%E2%80%98Temporary%20and%20precautionary%E2%80%99%20measure%20will%20take%20effect%20from%20Monday', tags: 'omicron,covid,face-masks,schools,england,pupils,s_news,s_education,s_education-news', }); }; script.src = 'https://videohub.playinc.uk.com/assets/independent/v4/lib.js'; document.head.appendChild(script); })(window);

Geoff Barton, ASCL’s general secretary, said: “It appears that the omicron variant may result in more staff and pupil absence thereby worsening an already very grave situation.

“It is therefore imperative that the government provides workforce funding to schools and colleges to help with the cost of supply cover for absent staff.

“Schools and colleges are in a position of having to provide in-class teaching for some groups of students, and remote education for other groups of students, at the same time as experiencing Covid-related staff absence. They simply cannot sustain the ongoing costs of the supply cover that is required.”

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “We welcome the DfE guidance that masks must be worn by adults and children in Year 7 and above in communal areas.

Recommended

• Omicron may already be in US – what are the ‘unusual’ symptoms to look out for?
• Public reassured there is no need to change Christmas plans despite omicron
• Fox and Friends hosts suggest Biden behind new Covid variant

“We think the DfE should go further and encourage mask-wearing in secondary classrooms and also plan investment to improve ventilation and air filtration.

“These steps can all help reduce the spread of Covid and thereby reduce disruption to education. Omicron makes the threat of disruption of education all the clearer: any close contacts of an omicron case, staff or pupils, will have to self-isolate for 10 days, whether vaccinated or not.”

More aboutOmicronCovidface masksSchoolsEnglandpupils Join our new commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

View comments {"currentIndex":0}1/1Face coverings reintroduced in schools to tackle omicron variant Face coverings reintroduced in schools to tackle omicron variant

Pupils at Copley Academy, in Manchester, wear face masks in class

Getty

✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost popular{{#link}}{{title}}{{/link}}Popular videos{{#link}} {{title}}{{/link}} Trending{{#path}}{{title}}{{/path}}{"items":[{"title":"Study shows the Olympics is most LGBTQIA+ friendly sporting event ever","link":"https://conversations.indy100.com/olympics-2021-lgbtqia-sporting-event","image":"https://conversations.indy100.com/media-library/ireen-wust-of-netherlands-competes-in-the-1500m-ladies-race-during-day-4-of-the-isu-world-speed-skating-championships-at-thialf-arena-on-february-14-2021-in-heerenveen-netherlands.jpgid=27078504"},{"title":"The best ways to show people closest to you that they are heard and appreciated","link":"https://conversations.indy100.com/appreciation-care-loved-ones-communication","image":"https://conversations.indy100.com/media-library/strong-relationships-necessitate-open-lines-of-communication.jpgid=27091833"},{"title":"Peta and Staffies: Why the call to eradicate the breed has to end","link":"https://conversations.indy100.com/peta-staffies-breeding-eradication-ban","image":"https://conversations.indy100.com/media-library/staffordshire-bull-terrier.jpgid=25674671"},{"title":"The challenges of summertime parenting - from brain freeze to sandy cars","link":"https://conversations.indy100.com/summertime-parenting","image":"https://conversations.indy100.com/media-library/image.jpgid=26576169"},{"title":"The Top 3 Worst Questions I've Been Asked As A Parent","link":"https://conversations.indy100.com/worst-questions-to-ask-parents","image":"https://conversations.indy100.com/media-library/never-comment-on-a-pregnant-woman-s-size-especially-if-she-has-a-sword.jpgid=26605287"}]}Featured{{#link}}{{title}}{{/link}}Sponsored Features{{#link}}{{title}}{{/link}}Voucher CodesVery Discount CodeSave up to 40% on electricals at VeryBooking Com DiscountsAt least 30% Booking.com Black Friday discount for stays until June 2022Debenhams Discount CodeFree UK standard delivery - Get £4 off with this Debenhams discount codeJojo Maman Bebe Discount Code10% Jojo Maman Bebe discount code for sitewide ordersLEGO Discount CodeLEGO Cyber Monday: 30% savings