What are the rules about testing and masks in schools?

Children are back at school across the UK, but many entire classes are having to self-isolate at home because a pupil has tested positive for Covid.

The government says it wants to address the problem, and may ask schools to carry out daily testing instead.

Schools have reopened across the UK but controls remain in place, including placing children in class or year group bubbles, and the regular rapid testing of secondary school children.

If a pupil tests positive, then anyone who has been in close contact with them also has to self-isolate for 10 days.

But this often results in whole classes or year groups being sent home, particularly in primary schools where there is limited social-distancing.

If infected children spread the virus to their siblings, that can mean further class groups also have to self-isolate.

An estimated 172,000 pupils in England have had to self-isolate in June because they were in close contact with a classmate or friend who tested positive.

Many parents and teachers say that the level of disruption to children's education - and to family life - is not justified. They point out that the current rules were drawn up last September, before the vaccination programme was rolled out across the UK.

There's debate over this, but some scientists defend the current approach.

Children do not generally become very ill with Covid, but because they are not vaccinated, they can spread it to others.

"Children can get infected and shed virus at even higher viral loads for even longer than adults," consultant virologist Dr Julian Tang says.

And asymptomatic cases can cause more infections because they often remain undetected.

But health officials say the spread of the virus in schools remains low, and there is no clear evidence that schools are causing outbreaks.

Ministers say they are considering scrapping mandatory self-isolation in English schools after the summer holidays, and replacing it with a system of daily tests.

Daily on-site testing is currently being trialled in a small number of secondary schools and colleges, and a decision about extending this will be taken once the results are examined.

The Department for Education has written to English secondary schools asking them to prepare for possible change in September.

However, some experts including Dr Sunil Bhopil, an expert on child health at Newcastle University, want quicker action. He suggests tightening the guidance over what constitutes close contacts, so fewer children are asked to isolate.

The Scottish government is reviewing its approach to self-isolation for school children, who return to lessons in August.

In Wales, the education minister has said he wants to minimise the number of pupils self-isolating.

Pupils in secondary schools in England have been asked to carry out lateral flow tests twice a week.

This involves taking a swab of the nose and throat, and placing that in a tube of liquid. Results take around 30 minutes.

Testing is voluntary and pupils aren't stopped from attending school if they don't take part.

Those who test positive must self-isolate. If the test is done at home, they must also book a second PCR test to confirm the result.

All primary and secondary school staff in England also offered twice-weekly rapid tests. Parents and carers can get free twice-weekly tests too.

In Scotland, all teaching staff as well as senior phase pupils (S4 and above) are being offered home tests twice a week.

All school staff in Wales are offered twice-weekly rapid tests.

Students and teachers at post-primary schools in Northern Ireland are being asked to take twice-weekly lateral flow tests.

You should not send your child to school or college if they:

Since May, secondary pupils in England have not needed to wear masks in classrooms or communal areas.

However, they've been reintroduced in some areas such as Liverpool, where there's concern about the spread of the Delta variant.

The rules do not apply to younger children in nurseries and primary schools.

Adults in school have been asked to carry on wearing face coverings in school outside the classroom, and parents are generally asked to wear face coverings in the playground too.

Some students and adults may be exempt - such as those who cannot use a face covering because of a disability or illness, and those who rely on lip-reading and facial expressions to communicate.

In Scotland, all secondary pupils are asked to wear masks, including in class.

In Wales, face coverings must be worn by secondary school students and staff everywhere that social distancing cannot be maintained - including the classroom.

Secondary school students in Northern Ireland are required to wear face coverings both inside and outside the classroom.

In England, A-levels, AS levels and GCSE exams have been cancelled and teachers' estimated grades will be used instead.

Results will be published earlier in August to allow time to appeal. Primary school SATs have not gone ahead this year, nor have phonics or times table testing.

In Scotland, grades will be based on teacher assessment.

Welsh students will have their grades determined by teachers, based on evidence such as mock exams and coursework.

In Northern Ireland, schools had to submit the grades they thought pupils should be awarded at the end of May.