Leek schools have returned to making mask wearing compulsory for students, weeks after the wearing of masks in schools was made optional around the country as as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

Previously, it was compulsory for children as young as 11 to wear masks in lessons and in corridors in schools around Leek and the rest of the country.

The mask wearing rule was brought in by Government as pupils returned to classrooms in March this year.

However, the rule has now been relaxed as part of the latest easing of lockdown on 17th May.

Despite this, several Leek schools have now announced that masks will once again be mandatory in corridors as well as classrooms.

Masks are once again mandatory in Westwood College and Leek High School, while Year 7 and 8 pupils at St Edward's CE Academy have also been asked to wear them.

The move has been made in response to an outbreak of the Indian variant, also known as the Delta variant, in Leek, which saw 1,000 students in the town being told to self isolate after around 30 cases were confirmed.

A letter by Westwood College head teacher Matt Taylor states: "Students coped admirably with this requirement on their return to school in March and, although we know it is not ideal, we are sure that they will cope with this expectation again.

"Students should bring masks with them to school each day. We do have a stock of masks in school should a student break or forget to bring one, but this should be an exception rather than a rule."