Coronavirus: Top grammar school pupils 'encouraged' to wear masks

Pupils at one of Northern Ireland's biggest grammar schools will be "strongly encouraged" to wear a face mask when they return to class.

Methodist College Belfast (MCB) will also provide its staff with visors to wear in school.

Belfast Royal Academy had previously made face coverings mandatory for its pupils and staff.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DE) has provided guidance to schools on how to record attendance.

This applies if they cannot admit pupils full-time.

About 1,800 pupils at MCB are due to return to school on 1 September.

The school has provided detailed return-to-school protocols for pupils and staff, which inform them of how the new school day will operate.

New guidelines

This includes advice on face coverings based on public health guidelines.

"Pupils in all year groups are strongly encouraged to wear a mask when indoors (school buildings, school transport etc.) where it is safe and practicable to do so," it said.

"All staff will be provided with a visor which they are encouraged to wear where safe and practicable on school premises."

However, the school said that as some people were exempt from wearing face coverings, "sensitivity and understanding" was necessary.

On Thursday, DE issued updated guidance to schools on reopening.

The subsequent arrangements at MCB are likely to be similar to those introduced at many schools.

Those at MCB include:

• Pupils not sharing books;

• Hand gel sanitisers installed across the school;

• No school assemblies or school bells between periods to avoid large numbers of pupils in an enclosed space;

• One-way systems across the school;

• No indoor clubs and societies before, during or after school until further notice.

Pupils will also be allowed to wear a school tracksuit with their kit underneath rather than a uniform on days when they have PE or games.

Attendance rules

Meanwhile, DE has updated its guidance to schools on how they should record the attendance of pupils "in light of Covid-19".

The circular includes scenarios where pupils are "asked to attend school on a part-time basis due to rules regarding social distancing imposed by DE or school".

"We would suggest that registration of pupils working from home would happen once a day (rather than twice a day), for example, provided that work was being completed as required.

"We appreciate that for some schools, this may be very challenging, therefore schools may have to rely on a combination of their professional judgement and pupil's work on whether or not pupils have engaged with learning at home."

Schools are also told how to record the attendance of a pupil who is self-isolating or shielding.

The new guidance also covers instances where a school is "not open due to teacher shortage - either through absence due to illness, shielding or possible refusal due to health & safety concerns".

In that event, the school can apply to the department for an exceptional closure.

"However this is unlikely to be approved if schools have been asked to open," the circular said.

The executive relaxed social distancing guidelines for pupils in schools earlier in August.

Education Minister Peter Weir said this would allow all pupils to return to school full-time from the beginning of term.

A few schools are opening for small groups of pupils from Monday.

Most, though, will begin to admit some pupils on 24 August ahead of a full restart from 1 September.