Masks and class bubbles back in Guernsey schools

Education bosses said they were not introducing anything "that hasn’t been in place before"

Mask-wearing and classroom bubbles are being reintroduced in schools in Guernsey because of a current wave of Covid-19 infections, the government has said.

The Education Department's package of enhanced measures will also see school-run extra-curricular clubs or activities being halted, and no whole-school assemblies or in-person events being held.

The government said the moves being brought back on Thursday would alleviate pressures on the system because of infections while minimising disruption to young people’s education.

Schools would be contacting parents and carers to provide further information about the measures' implementation at their children’s school, it added.

'Familiar' measures

The measures, developed in consultation with public health bosses, include:

• All staff - primary, secondary and post-16 - being expected to wear face coverings when inside school buildings, including classrooms

• All secondary and post-16 students being expected to wear face coverings on school transport and when inside school buildings, including classrooms

• Primary school-aged students being supported to wear face coverings if they want to do so

• Schools staggering drop-off and pick-up times to control numbers of people on-site at any time

• Classroom bubbles for primary schools where possible

• Classroom bubbles for KS3 (secondary school years seven to nine ) where possible

• No school-run extra-curricular clubs or activities for the time being

• No whole-school assemblies or in-person events, with parents' evenings being held online where possible

Education director Nick Hynes said: "This package of enhanced measures will be familiar to our staff, students and parents and carers as we are not introducing anything now that hasn’t been in place before.

"When we have had to revert to these enhanced measures previously, it has served us well; so I’m hopeful that they can do so again as long as we continue to have the support of all involved in the delivery of education."