In the first part of the government's roadmap out of lockdown which will see restrictions beginning to ease over the spring and summer, children in Biddulph and the rest of the country will be returning to school on Monday (March 8).

But the return to schools has come with a new rule, with children in secondary schools - such as Biddulph High School - now being required to wear masks inside classrooms.

It means that wearing masks will be compulsory for children as young as 11 for most of the school day.

Students had previously been required to wear masks in the corridors between lessons, but masks were not mandatory in the classrooms themselves.

The government says the rule will be in place for a "limited period" of at least the "initial weeks" of students' return to schools.

In a letter to parents, Biddulph High School's headteacher Elizabeth Robinson said that mask wearing "will not be comfortable for staff or students" but asked for people to follow the new rule.

She said: "The wearing of masks when in any part of the building, including during lessons in classrooms, is now compulsory.

"All students should bring two masks to school - one to wear and a spare. They should also bring a plastic bag in which they can store a used mask.

"We full appreciate that this will not be comfortable for staff or students but, whilst we are still vulnerable to the infection rate rising again, the government have made this a recommended part of reopening the school.

"The only exemptions to this are students with serious special needs or health conditions that are recognised in an Education Health Care Plan or similar.

"in the unlikely event that a students refuses to comply with these measures we will follow our normal behaviour protocols."