Government has already U-turned on ending face masks in classrooms

The Government has already U-turned on ending face masks in the classroom, it has emerged, with councils in areas hit by the Indian variant told to continue with coverings.

Whitehall officials have agreed with directors of public health at Blackburn and Darwen, Bolton, Lancashire and Sefton councils that masks should continue to be worn in lessons and corridors.

It comes amid rising concern about a surge in the Indian variant of Covid-19, which early data suggests could be more transmissible than other variants.

The Prime Minister announced at the start of last week that from May 17, secondary pupils would no longer be required to wear face masks during the school day.

But The Telegraph understands that by Friday evening, deals had been struck with several local councils to extend the use of masks in the classroom.

A Government spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has set out the measures needed to tackle the new variant of concern. “In line with our plans published earlier this week to address variants of concern in education we have also agreed with Directors of Public Health that face coverings will remain in place in Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton, Lancashire and Sefton.

We are continuing to work closely with local authorities in these areas.” The Department for Education (DfE) issued guidance last week which said schools should not seek to implement “restrictive measures” without the “explicit approval” of ministers.

Officials insisted that the national guidance remains that face masks are no longer needed for children while they are at school.

But they added that directors of public health at a handful of local councils and borough councils have been given explicit permission by the Government to advise schools that face masks must be worn at all times when indoors if it is not possible to socially distance.

Last week the country’s largest teaching unions urged headteachers, chief executives of multi-academy trusts and council chiefs across the country to “actively encourage” pupils to wear masks in lessons.

Several unions - including The National Education Union and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers - embarked on a letter-writing campaign to convince heads that there is a “strong case” for continuing with masks at school.

“We would therefore recommend that schools and colleges use the flexibility within the new guidance to actively encourage students and staff in secondary schools and colleges to continue wearing face coverings in classrooms and communal areas,” they said.

Dozens of other schools and councils around the country have said they will continue to require face masks despite the new national guidelines. Bedford Borough Council said it had written to schools to recommend they “continue to require face covering use”.

Cllr Louise Jackson, the council’s lead on health and wellbeing, said the decision was made in light of “rapidly rising rate of infections, particularly in our younger population”. Coventry Council’s director of public health, Liz Gaulton, has also written to parents to say that “despite the national position” the authority remains concerned about transmission in schools.