A HEADTEACHER has blasted new guidance to teach children that have tested positive for Covid outside this autumn as "idiotic".

And Neil Morris, headteacher of Christopher Whitehead Language College, has suggested he would support a teaching union to take strike action.

New guidance issued by the government this week leaves it for schools to determine if and how they wish to continue to use bubbles, but urges that schools seek to reduce contacts.

The government guidance, issued by the Department for Education, says schools should consider outdoor lessons if five pupils who are likely to have mixed closely test positive for Covid-19.

It says settings should consider if "activities could take place outdoors, including exercise, assemblies, or classes".

After hearing of the new guidance Mr Morris tweeted: "But we keep putting up with these idiotic sanctions.

"Time to say enough of the babysitting, time for Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) to get militant?"

The headteacher has been a critical voice of the government in recent times. In May, in a blog written by the headteacher, he said: "This unlocking is proving stressful and it is difficult to translate the numerous messages given via a variety of forums and to try to return to some form of normality.

"Remote working soon became unvaccinated normal working and now we have the latest calamity, the Indian variant (Delta) to contend with.

"As we try to return to normality and struggle to trust those in national leadership, it is time we showed the resilience of our young people and remain swan like in our relentless optimism."

After the criticism of the guidance from school leaders nationally Education Minister Michelle McIlveen said the aim is to “provide the best educational environment” while reducing the risk of Covid transmission.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The suggestion that schools could realistically consider holding assemblies and lessons outdoors during the autumn term, as temperatures plummet, is a total fudge on the government’s part.

“What is needed is an urgent plan, backed up by cast-iron investment, to instal ventilation equipment in school buildings as soon as possible.”