Children across Cornwall start to go back to school

The new school term has officially started in Cornwall with children starting to back to the classroom.

Some schools are opening from today with others waiting until next week to welcome back students.

It has been six months since schools across the country closed to the majority of pupils because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Now as they open their doors again, a string of new safety measures are being put in place.

Those includes things such as social bubbles, year group bubbles, staggered break times, different break and play areas, and staggered drop-off and pick-up times.

Back To School Tips for Parents and Children

The government says face masks should be worn in schools in areas which are under local lockdown or have stricter coronavirus restrictions in force.

In other areas, like Cornwall, it is up to individual schools and headteachers whether face coverings are necessary.

"It is at headteachers' direction as to whether face coverings or masks should be worn in communal areas. In some schools that may be deemed necessary, helpful and appropriate, in others it may not be. But the vast majority of Heads are going to be asking students to wear face coverings in those communal areas, like corridors.

"All Heads have said to parents, in advance of any government announcement, if your son or daughter wants to wear a face mask then that is absolutely fine, we're not going to stop you from doing so. The vast majority won't be expecting masks, or wanting masks, to be worn in lessons.

"Each school will have done their own risk assessments and done everything as necessary according to the particular site requirements."

David Barton, Cornwall Association of Secondary Headteachers

Public health officials in Cornwall say each school will have different measures in place to help reduce risks.

"I have a number of concerns around face masks, one is that if you're going to implement masks then all children should have access to a mask, they should also have access to a safe place to put that mask when taking it off and be able to sanitise their hands after removal so there is no other contamination.

"And then there is another important thing to bear in mind, some children and adults won't be able to wear masks because of particular clinical conditions, respiratory conditions, or emotional or mental health issues. We have to be very careful that we don't victimise people who are unable to wear masks, and bear this in mind."

Brian O'Neill, consultant in public health at Cornwall Council

"It must be remembered that first of all in Cornwall our numbers are low, and we haven't seen an escalation of numbers with increasing tourists that we first thought that we would have.

"But schools have been working incredibly hard in making sure that their are a safe environment, so that's about keeping unwell staff and students away from school, making sure they've got good social distancing, controlling the flow around school by timetabling and different lunch breaks, that they've got good hand hygiene, good respiratory hygiene, and also cleaning more frequently."

Brian O'Neill, consultant in public health at Cornwall Council

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