Government confirms Northampton secondary schools MUST enforce face coverings in communal areas

Most people in Northampton secondary schools will have to wear face coverings in communal areas while the town remains high-risk for coronavirus, the government has confirmed today.

Department for Education guidance says schools and colleges in 'areas of national government intervention', such as Northampton, must take extra precautions.

When asked to confirm this, a Whitehall spokesman said: "Northampton is categorised as ‘intervention’, so yes, the face coverings policy does apply for pupils when in communal areas."

The Chronicle & Echo had reported this earlier in the week but there was still confusion and questioning on social media.

But the Government has repeated again today, Friday, that in education settings for year 7 and above, face coverings should be worn by pupils and adults, including staff and visitors, when moving around indoors, such as in corridors, and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Northampton's Covid-19 status is subject to change should the infection rate decrease.

It will not usually be necessary to wear face coverings in the classroom, where protective measures already mean the risks are lower, and they may inhibit teaching and learning, according to Whitehall.

Some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings, such as those with a physical or mental illness, impairment, or disability, or if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expression to communicate.

Nationally it will be up to individual schools and colleges to decide whether or not to enforce masks because 'a system of control, applicable to all education environments, provides additional mitigating measures', the government guidance says.

This change was made on Wednesday (August 26) in a U-turn by the government after new advice from the World Health Organisation that children aged over 12 should wear a mask.

Campion School is one of the many in Northampton to be preparing students for the new rule, with one appropriate face mask stored in a plastic bag now part of their school uniform.

Staff who are required to work very closely with students as part of their role will be issued with a visor, the school's guidance says.

Head teacher Patricia Hammond wrote: "Thank you in advance for your support in following national guidance here and helping to protect all our staff and students."

Schools are set to welcome back all students next week after the summer holidays and the closure to all but vulnerable children and those with key worker parents in March due to Covid-19.

Northampton has been labelled as an 'area of enhanced intervention' by Public Health England because of its rate of infection, mostly due to the outbreak at the Greencore food factory two weeks ago. If the status of the town changes, the guidance to schools will change as well.