Covid in Scotland: Younger Dundee pupils 'do their bit' with face coverings

Baldragon Academy pupils

Younger Dundee school pupils are "doing their bit" by joining senior pupils in wearing face masks in class.

S4 to S6 school pupils in level 3 areas, which includes Dundee, are now required to wear face coverings in class and communal areas.

But S1 to S3 pupils in most of the city's eight secondaries have been asked to wear masks as "an additional measure."

Baldragon Academy is one of the Dundee schools introducing the measure.

Head teacher Hugh McAninch said it was a "very welcome introduction."

He said: "Although the national guidance was 4th, 5th, and 6th year, and obviously our staff, it's great to see the younger ones getting involved and doing their bit around Covid to make it a safer place to work and learn.

"It's part of our school values around responsibility and respect, we think everyone's got a part to play."

Baldragon Academy head Hugh McAninch said the move was "a welcome introduction"

The Scottish government has released new guidance on school safety to take account of the five-level Covid alert system.

The updated guidance says all adults should wear face coverings in schools where they cannot stay at least two metres away from other adults and pupils.

Staff in primary schools should now wear face coverings in communal areas, such as staff rooms, canteens and corridors.

Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, said it supported stronger advice in areas such as the use of face coverings.

But it was "dissatisfied" with the lack of specification on social distancing between pupils, which it said remained impossible to achieve in full classrooms.

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