SOME schools in West Berkshire are selling face masks to pupils.

That’s according to councillor Dominic Boeck, West Berkshire Council’s executive member for education, who spoke at a council meeting on October 15.

He explained that some secondary schools, which require pupils to wear masks in certain situations, are offering to sell them to any child who has forgotten their mask or broken it.

The Conservative councillor said: “In some cases, schools have a small charge for providing face masks or coverings.

“But it is expected that no one should be excluded from education on the grounds they are not wearing a face covering.”

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He added: “I am not aware of schools charging for face coverings, except in cases where the young person is unable to provide their own because either they have forgotten it or it’s become soiled during the day.

“But it’s common practice across society now for people to purchase and use their own face coverings.”

At Thursday’s meeting, the Tory councillor also pointed out that the government has not recommended universal use of face coverings in schools.

But it does say secondary schools can ask pupils, staff, and visitors to wear them in communal areas of the school where social distancing is difficult, such as corridors and communal areas.

Cllr Boeck added: “The government says it’s reasonable to assume that by now staff and young people will have access to face coverings, due to their increasing use in wider society.

“Public Health England has also made available resources on how to make a simple face covering.”

During the pandemic, 766 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in West Berkshire and 134 have died after contracting the virus.