Sunderland schoolchildren may continue wearing masks after headteachers urged to take 'cautious approach' to ending of 'Plan B' covid restrictions

The North East continues to experience some of the highest covid rates in the country and a number of the Sunderland’s school leaders have spoken of the difficulties in remaining fully operational due to spiralling staff absence rates.

While starting to fall, the city's covid case rate still stands at 1,585 per 100,000 people at the time of writing, with the rate for children aged 10 to 14 standing at 2,687.8 per 100,000.

Sunderland City Council’s Director of Public Health, Gerry Taylor, said the authority had been in touch with schools urging them to take a ‘cautious approach’ to the lifting of restrictions, including potentially keeping mask-wearing.

She said: “We are advising headteachers to take a cautious approach, given the high number of cases, which includes consideration of face coverings where necessary.”

The Government last week announced the end of Plan B restrictions, including the immediate ending of mask wearing in classrooms – and, from next Thursday, January 27, the end of the requirement to wear face coverings in any part of school buildings.

Boris Johnson told schools in England on Friday to end the wearing of face masks by pupils, in face of headteachers’ concerns and plans by the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to liaise with public health officials over masks during local outbreaks.

However, country’s largest teaching union, the NASUWT, is concerned that easing restrictions too quickly could lead to an exacerbation of the current situation.

NASUWT Sunderland Secretary Brian Wilson welcomed the advice issued by Sunderland’s public health director.

He said: “Reports we are getting back from schools indicates they are just about coping in managing to stay fully open but they are doing it with staff who are exhausted with having to cover for colleagues who are not in school.

"Case rates in the North East are still very high and our concern is the removal of masks and restrictions too early could make this situation even worse.

"Our understanding is that Public Health Sunderland have contacted headteachers and recommended the continued wearing of masks and this is something we wholeheartedly support. We need to take a very careful and cautious approach.”

Mr Wilson was speaking after a survey report was published by Schools North East – a collaborative school led network established in 2007 by the region’s then headteachers – expressing concerns over the removal of restrictions and wearing of masks in schools.

The survey, which was conducted in schools across the region’s 12 Local Authorities, showed almost three quarters of schools reported staff levels below 90% and in almost a quarter of schools, staff levels were below 80%.

Worried about the situation being worsened by the ending of Plan B, over two thirds of schools which responded to the survey said they opposed the easing of restrictions in schools with over 80% of headteachers saying they would be keeping some covid-related measures in place, including the wearing of face masks in classrooms and communal areas.

Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East, said: “The easing of restrictions follows declining Covid cases and high levels of vaccine uptake, however schools are still facing real challenges in getting staff cover, increasing staff workload and stress and impacting negatively on wellbeing.

"There are serious concerns for schools, with local pictures often radically different from the national picture.

“Schools are having to take difficult decisions to reduce disruption to ensure schools remain operational for all students. Schools have proven to be national strategic infrastructure during the pandemic, and it is vital that the Government properly protects schools from outbreaks.

"The Government must support headteachers to put in place those measures necessary for their own school’s context.”

SEE ALSO: North East health chiefs call for 'respect' and caution as Plan B Covid measures come to an end

The decision to remove restrictions, including the wearing of masks, has been strongly criticised by the city’s cabinet member for Children, Learning and Skills, Cllr Louise Farthing who believes the decision is driven by political rather than healthcare motives.

Cllr Farthing said: “Infection rates in the North East are still very high and we need to be cautious. I can’t believe the Government are being so reckless and if we get a new strain of the virus then we could end up back to square one.

“There will be teachers who will either be vulnerable or live with people who are at greater risk from Covid and I can fully understand if headteachers carry out their own risk assessment and decide to continue with restrictions. They have a duty of care to their staff and pupils.

"For me this smacks of a political decision rather than a healthcare one. My personal opinion is that Prime Minister has made this decision to get his own back-benchers onside.”

However the Government has defended the decision.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Face-to-face education for all students has consistently been my priority, and that is why I am removing face coverings from classrooms – as promised – on the earliest possible date, making sure there is as little disruption to students’ learning as possible and children can enjoy a normal experience in the classroom.

“National guidance to wear face coverings in communal areas will also be removed in line with the national move out of Plan B. This applies to all schools – and if required local teams from Department for Education would work with individual schools to support them in implementing the guidance.

“As we transition from pandemic to endemic, my message remains the same as ever – testing and vaccinations are our best weapons against the virus – keep testing, and get your vaccination as soon as possible.”

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