The founder of a multi-academy trust, with schools in Medway and on Sheppey, has criticised the government for yet another U-turn on face masks being used, and has taken matters into his own hands.

It comes as it was announced this morning that face coverings should be worn in secondary schools based in local lockdown areas, but only in communal spaces such as corridors.

Watch: School leader criticises government after face covering fiasco

The Rev Steve Chalke, founder of Oasis Community Learning, made the decision to provide secondary school children with masks at the Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey, and have them worn in between lessons - regardless of whether the area is in local lockdown or not.

Mr Chalke said: "We were so frustrated by the lack of advice and detailed guidance - there were big slogans but a slogan isn't a strategy.

"Our senior team had a meeting together and decided we were going to take responsibility for our own future, and look ahead and make decisions."

The school leader believes education experts should have been consulted more during the process, rather than government leaving them in the dark until the last hour.

He said: "To make the decisions on the hoof at the last minute - because they are last minute decisions aren't they, although people say no no no - why the U-turn then?

"Take the exams. For months and months and months educationalists were saying 'don't trust an algorithm,' honestly I was saying it, then days after you have to do a U-turn.

"That need never have happened."

The face coverings provided will be colour-coded for different year groups, and fresh ones will be provided to every pupil each week.

Mr Chalke said: "They don't wear the masks when they're in the classrooms - that would get in the way and be kind of annoying to everyone - but it's when they're in the corridors and shared spaces, because that of course is where the most danger is."

Teachers will also be given masks during classroom learning to slow the potential spread of the virus.

The academy founder said: "In our secondary schools we're supplying all of our teachers with perspex visors, and they will also have face masks.

"They will wear the visor all the time, but in those one-to-one conversations with a child then they will use their face masks as well.

"We're doing all of this because we know we have a responsibility to make all of our schools as Covid-safe as they can possibly be."

The situation in primary schools is different as pupils can remain in those class bubbles for the entirety of the teaching day, but in secondary schools pupils have to move from lesson to lesson.

"We have a responsibility to make all of our schools as Covid-safe as they can possibly be..."

The multi-academy trust oversees the Oasis Academy Skinner Street, Gillingham , and the Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey, in Minster and Sheerness.

The trust has 32,000 pupils in its schools across the country, as well as 4,000 members of staff.

Guidance published today says that in local lockdown areas, and in schools with students in Year 7 and above, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in corridors and communal spaces.

Gavin Williamson announced the new "precautionary measure" in updated guidance on Tuesday evening, which says face coverings should be worn in communal areas of schools in local lockdown areas.

Teaching unions had been mounting pressure on the government, asking for greater clarity before pupils return to school next week.

It also followed an announcement all secondary pupils in Scotland will be required to wear masks in between lessons.

On Monday, England’s deputy chief medical officer, Jenny Harries, said the evidence on whether children over 12 should wear masks in schools was “not strong”.

Currently coronavirus restrictions are in place in areas of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and West Yorkshire, Leicester, Luton and Northampton.

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