Two-thirds of teachers support mandatory masks for older pupils

The final results of a survey by the Educational Institute of Scotland about the return to schools of children were released today.

Teachers are not confident about the safety of returning to schools in Scotland this week.

Nearly two thirds of teachers have said they would support mandatory face coverings for older pupils in schools to help create a safer environment when schools return later this week.

The final results of a survey by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest teaching union, showed that while 60 per cent of teachers support the return of school, 66 per cent expressed anxiety and a lack of confidence in measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Schools are set to return in a staggered manner from this week, with most pupils back in school from Wednesday, August 12 following an inset day.

The survey showed that just over 60 per cent of all teachers said they felt “somewhat unsafe” or “very unsafe” about returning to schools later this week, with the figure jumping to almost 75 per cent of teachers in the ‘at risk’ category.

Just one in five expressed confidence that schools are currently safe, and more than half said there were not convinced Scotland’s capacity for test, trace and isolate system was high enough to support a return to school.

The EIS’ general secretary Larry Flanagan said the figures are a “stark warning” to the Scottish Government and local authorities, and said both must address teachers’ concerns this week.

He said: “Our survey findings confirm that, even as they return to schools across the country today, Scotland’s teachers are extremely concerned about the risks associated with potential COVID-19 infection in schools.

“This worry will be particularly acute for the significant percentage of teachers identified as being in an ‘at risk’ category (16 per cent of respondents), as well as those living with a family member who is in a high-risk group.

"There is significant concern amongst all teachers on issues such as the large number of pupils in each class, inability to maintain social distancing, and the need for the wearing of face coverings to ensure safety in some circumstances.

“These concerns grow more acute based on the age of pupils being taught, with secondary teachers expressing a particularly high level of concern over the potential risks of teaching young adults for long periods of time in an enclosed classroom environment.”

Mr Flanagan added that it would be in “everyone’s interests” for a solution to be found to allow for a safe return to school for pupils.

He said: “The EIS has consistently said that we support the principle of re-opening schools so that teachers can, once again, offer their full support in a classroom setting for pupils. But we have also been consistent in the demand that schools can only re-open to pupils if this is managed in a way that can assure the safety of those pupils, staff and the wider community.

"The very clear message from these findings is that teachers are far from convinced that all necessary steps have been put in place by the Scottish Government and local authorities to make schools safe. This must be addressed now, with pupils returning this week.”

“The EIS will be sharing the results of our survey with local authorities and the Scottish Government, and continuing talks at national and local level to seek resolutions to the concerns raised by our members. It is in everyone’s interests for solutions to be found, to ensure that our schools can operate safely as pupils return to the classroom this week.”

The First Minister addressed what she labelled “nerves and anxiety” among staff at her daily Covid-19 briefing today.

Nicola Sturgeon said the reopening of schools is “essential” for pupils and that she was “really impressed and reassured” by measures she witnessed in place at a school in West Calder.

She added: “I think it is worth saying that for students and staff, school will feel different to how it was before. There will, for example, be a lot more handwashing. Some schools will have staggered starts and lunchbreaks - at West Calder for example, school lunches have to be ordered on an app in the morning and collected at lunchtime.

“And for staff, while young people are not required to keep two metres apart within schools, teachers and other adult staff do need to keep that distance. Now, I know that there will be nerves and anxiety for children, parents and teachers this week and I think that is entirely understandable.

“Hopefully induction days that I know are happening in many schools will help young people to get used to the changes, and to being around each other again. But fundamentally all of us know that the reopening of schools is essential for children’s education, personal development and indeed I think for their general wellbeing and happiness.

"So what we are doing, is trying to ensure that the reopening is safe and effective.

“I was really impressed and reassured this morning by what I saw of the preparations at West Calder, and I know those preparations are being repeated in schools right across the country, and I am very grateful to everyone – teachers, teaching assistants, local authority workers and all school staff – who are enabling schools to safely reopen.”

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