Masks are required in shops, on public transport and in hospitals. Until recently however, government guidelines recommended against their use in schools.

Last week, the World Health Organisation updated its guidelines to recommend their use among school students.

Yesterday (finally), the government offered schools “discretion” to require masks, while requiring students to wear them in areas of high transmission (government statement).

This is very welcome (I set the evidence in favour of masks in schools here in June). But headteachers and teachers will be wondering how to make it work. So this post shares what schools learned when they encouraged mask use during the summer term. It’s based on the experiences of Lorraine Ratcliffe, a headteacher in Suffolk, and Kate, a secondary school teacher.

Why face coverings?

Lorraine described meeting with staff and children, planning risk management, and realising that “to have higher numbers back and to be able to teach and support children, as well as provide one to one, we would need face coverings”, particularly for vulnerable staff. (This is alongside a range of familiar protections for vulnerable staff and for children). So masks are recommended and encouraged (although not compulsory) for staff and children. At Kate’s school, staff and students received a “strong recommendation” to wear masks.

What kind of face coverings for teachers?

Lorraine concluded that visors were the best option for teachers, for:

  • Comfort (teachers don’t overheat)
  • Phonics teaching
  • Children who lip read

Once parents knew her plan, one offered to make them for teachers. “The screens and elastic can easily be replaced (overhead projector slides) and easily cleaned.” (The efficacy of visors isn’t totally clear they seem to be a lot better than nothing, but may not be as reliable as face masks.)

How did parents feel?

Staff took photos and made videos explaining school routines and about the visors, alongside using social media and the school website. “We soon received comments from parents to say that they felt safe to send the children in knowing that they would be protected from adults working with them..”

How did staff manage?

“Initially staff felt that the visor was uncomfortable, however one of our staff members then made fluffy bands to attach to make them soft on your forehead. No more red lines!

“Some staff were reluctant at first, however once more children started to attend (we were open to all children in all year groups) and it became more difficult to socially distance, we found that staff were more likely to wear them. TAs are far more likely to wear them than teachers as they work closely with the children. Some also work across different bubbles. Teachers tend to wear them when we meet for different reasons and cannot socially distance or when working with children . Although we follow the guidance, sometimes it is not possible to speak from above and behind a child, as recommended. If staff are outside with social distancing in place they do not tend to wear them. Any BAME staff are encouraged to wear them all the time.”

“TAs and teachers feel they would not be able to do their job without them. For example if you are working one to one with a child, they are very close. Even if you try to distance yourself, children inch closer to you. They thrive on the contact they receive and it would be silly to think we can deliver one to one support or SEN interventions from 2m away.”

Echoing this, Kate said that she “didn’t have an issue with teaching for 60-90 minutes in a mask or a visor.”

What about the children?

Lorraine notes that it’s currently hard to find appropriately-sized masks for children. Some families made their own: “Where children wore masks we found that they kept them on at all times, other than lunch. We expected them to mess about with them and pull them on and off, but they didn’t. We also found that when staff were wearing a visor it reminded children to socially distance from them. It was a visual and gentle reminder not to hug or get too close. We did not find children said anything inappropriate to those wearing masks and did not find it odd that staff were wearing them. It was just part of the new normal.” Kate found students needed reminding, but their wearing masks “made no difference to the student interaction in the lesson.”

What will happen in September?

Lorraine describes staff concern about going back to school in September without face coverings. Some children may have gone abroad over the summer and return asymptomatic, and there are also the “normal bugs all teachers get in the Autumn” and the impact this has on the immune system. “Staff I spoke to said they would definitely want to keep wearing them.”

Conclusion

Kate concluded that “I think the biggest issue we have is with getting the staff to realise wearing them is a good idea – I don’t know about other teachers but on the first day that I wore the visor instead of a mask I was very aware of the spray of saliva I manage to project occasionally when I’m teaching, because it spattered the inside of the visor.”

Lorraine said that: “In order to return with all pupils and staff in September I do not feel it is an option for us, we will still be wearing visors.”

“Wearing the visors enables us to be able to deliver the learning however we feel best meets the needs of the children without being worried.”

“Masks and visors do not have side effects, you cannot be harmed by wearing them. Data seems to suggest that work places that use masks have a much lower rate of infection than those who do not. Even if it turns out to have no impact what so ever, I would certainly like to have the option to enable my staff to continue wearing them. Children cough and sneeze all the time.”

“Teachers have been heroes. I am incredibly proud of my team and all school staff and the mountains they have moved in this time. Why on earth would we want to make a decision that could put them at risk? 30 children facing a teacher, one teacher facing 30 children, what could possibly go wrong? In a time when I cannot visit my daughter and give her a hug but I can work next to over 200 other children in a day, why would we not be encouraging staff to wear masks?”

Having read this, you may want to read this, on the effectiveness of masks.

Huge thanks to Lorraine and to Kate (who wished to remain anonymous) for sharing their experience and photographs.