“Cautious” approach to removal of face coverings in classrooms

In line with the rest of Scotland, students and staff in Orkney’s secondary schools will no longer need to wear face masks in the classroom from next week (Monday 28 February) First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

She said the change is a “further step in allowing children and young people a return to a more normal experience in school after many, many months of sacrifice”.

Face coverings will still be required in other communal, indoor areas within secondary schools, the First Minister confirmed, but this will be kept under “regular review”.

Ms Sturgeon said the changes have been made possible by “reducing case rates” for COVID in secondary school-aged children, as well as the decrease in hospital admission rates among all ages.

This “encouraging situation” also means restrictions on school assemblies can be lifted, along with those on transition visits for youngsters either starting primary or secondary school, the First Minister added.

While the move will be welcomed by some, there may be others who wish to take a more cautious approach and that is a matter for personal preference – particularly given the ongoing widespread community transmission currently being experienced within Orkney.

The Council’s Corporate Director of Education, Leisure and Housing, James Wylie, said: “We remain aware of Orkney’s position in regard to being behind the rest of mainland Scotland when it comes to the spread of the virus. Nationally there is a tapering off in terms of the transmission of the virus, but we are currently experiencing very high rates in Orkney so, we would ask for caution when considering the options open to us all from Monday 28 February. We must remember that there are classes at home in Orkney at present because staffing levels have fallen to a level whereby we simply do not have the numbers available to provide the cover required, this means that we are, once again, having to ask some parents and children to undertake remote learning which is far from ideal.

“Whilst this announcement is encouraging in terms of reducing barriers to communication in the classroom, for example, the move may be a source of anxiety for others. It is important that pupils and staff have the right to continue to wear face coverings if they wish to.

“I want to reassure staff, parents and students that we will continue to ensure classrooms are well ventilated and encourage mitigations as appropriate for the safety of all. We ask that communities across Orkney continue to remain vigilant.”

S6 student at Stromness Academy, Harvey Walker, has shared his thoughts on the announcement.

He said: “Recently, we all have the same routine before we leave the house: wallet, lunch, bag.... mask. I couldn’t possibly count the times I've been dropped off to catch the bus and had to search for my mask, just to find it buried at the bottom of my pocket. Found. Panic over.

“Masks have become such an integral part of our school community, that seeing your friends out and about without a mask makes them look...unfamiliar. It’s a part of human nature to try to fit in, after all, we are social creatures. The need to fit in is even more apparent in teenagers who ‘just don’t want to stand out’ as much as possible. Masks ‘help’ people blend in. Numerous times recently, I've looked at the people I've been friends with for years and seen them as unrecognisable.

“I’ve started to find it really difficult to read people’s emotions. You can’t tell if someone’s upset, confused, or angry. They say someone's eyes can tell a story about how they’re feeling, poetic as that sounds. The reality is, it’s very hard to gauge someone’s emotions when your only reference point is from the eyes up. It would seem that insecurity is becoming a pandemic in itself, especially for teenagers. Masks have been some people's shield against their insecurity. This could be for many different reasons - acne and chickenpox scars just to name a couple. Some people are just quiet by nature, with the masks on this makes them even quieter often meaning they don’t answer questions in class or really look anyone in the eye.

“It’s been a strange time indeed, but I'm sure everyone can live with being a bit harder to hear, or warmer due to the heat from masks, if it protects us and our loved ones.

“Looking onto the future, I’m not sure if masks will ever leave. The Government will say it’s optional, but they seem to have become so ingrained into people's everyday life that I believe some people will always continue to wear them.  For myself, I don’t really mind if they stay or if they go, I’ve always worn mine, but in the end, I suppose I won’t be sad to see them leave - or having to remember I need to have one every day in my pocket.”

Stromness Academy Head Teacher, Jane Partridge, said: “Harvey has summed up perfectly why masks in classrooms have been difficult for education. Our work is grounded in our relationships with children and young people, and this barrier to verbal and non-verbal communication has hindered that. Being able to remove them in class will really help. In these last few weeks before the SQA exams, it's particularly important for our Senior Phase pupils not to miss classes, so we will not be rushing to relax other covid-safety procedures in school while cases remain high in Orkney.”