Mansfield MP Ben Bradley delighted that children are finally back to school

It is vital for their physical and mental wellbeing that we get back to some normality where children can return to school, see their friends and continue their education.

The Government has announced £8 million to help schools with children’s mental health, which will help young people who have struggled during lockdown.

This is a welcomed announcement, as we need to make sure children aren’t disadvantaged due to Covid-19 and we know that the most vulnerable children will have found it hardest.

There has been some announcements and confusion regarding making children wear face coverings in school.

The World Health Organisation says that masks should be worn in the communal areas of secondary schools, but only in the areas of the country with the highest levels of transmission where there are already local restrictions.

That means ‘lockdown’ areas like Leicester or Oldham.

This ensures even when there is a localised lockdown, schools will be able to remain open, which is what we need.

Mansfield does not have any localised restrictions which means the Government will not be forcing anyone to wear face coverings in school.

However, this decision is ultimately down to the school to decide, so it is always best to check with them as some secondaries may have their own additional rules.

I know schools and colleges are working really hard to make sure they are as safe as they can be for both the students, but also the teachers.

There has had to be some adaptation to make sure they function in the safest way possible so there may need to be staggered start and end times for students, or a slightly different arrangements than before but this has all been done with our children’s safety at the forefront of people’s minds.

It’s imperative we do our best to make sure children can attend school.

I want to thank all teachers and school teams who have worked tirelessly to make schools are as safe as possible throughout lockdown and now prepared for the new term.

Ben Bradley is MP for Mansfield.