Council urges Bedford schoolchildren returning to class to wear face coverings correctly

Bedford Borough Council is welcoming measures put in place in schools across the borough to enable the safe return of pupils.

Schools have introduced measures including classroom bubbles to limit the contact between pupils, staggered arrival and leaving times and additional cleaning regimes to protect staff and pupils.

Ahead of the return the council has been in touch with head teachers with the latest national advice on face coverings to support the measures schools are taking to safely reopen.

And in a statement from the council, it is urging where face coverings are worn, that they must be worn correctly, covering both the nose and mouth in order to be effective.

Cllr James Valentine, portfolio holder for education and children’s services, said: “I welcome the return of pupils across the borough. Over the summer, schools have looked at what they need to do to protect staff and pupils and introduced measures specific to their environment and situation. I’d like to thank the staff at all our schools for the hard work they have been putting in to ensure schools are safe and ready for pupils and staff.

“This year will see a very different start to the autumn term but it’s vital that we all support the measures that have been put in place to keep everyone safe in the weeks and months ahead.”