News

Outdoor lessons, smaller classes and one-way systems from June 1 – but no masks

Governance and management Government policy Whole-school issues Staff wellbeing Pupil wellbeing Coronavirus
It is not being recommended that pupils wear masks when schools reopen for some pupils from June 1. There should instead be a focus on using adjusted timetables, one-way systems and outdoor lessons to keep pupils apart.

There should also be a focus on “changing habits” to encourage good hand hygiene, while both primary and secondary schools are being advised to “split classes in half” with no more than 15 students per group.

The advice comes from two pieces of Department for Education (DfE) guidance, both published on Monday (May 11), a day after prime minister Boris Johnson revealed that schools could begin reopening for some pupils from June 1.

The government’s plan says that if the infection rate – or “R-rate” – of the coronavirus remains below 1, then from June 1 primary schools should open their doors for all Nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6 pupils.

Register now, read forever

Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.

What's included:

  • Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts

  • New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday

Register

Already have an account? Sign in here