[Benjamin]

Students say they have been left feeling embarrassed and anxious due to "baffling" school toilet restrictions.


Holly, from Pentyrch, Cardiff, said she would frequently be denied permission to go to the toilet during class, or struggle to find one that was not "locked off", which contributed to her decision to be home-schooled.

"I don't understand why, it's a normal, natural human thing," she said.

It comes after a UK-wide survey found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time.

Cardiff council said it acknowledged the challenges faced by schools but was committed to working with them to find solutions for pupils to access toilets when needed.

Holly, who is autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sensory processing disorder, previously attended Radyr Comprehensive School but began being home-schooled with an online tutor in January 2024.

The 15-year-old said toilet rules were a "major contributor" in the decision.

"Sometimes we would have to ask in front of the class and we would be denied, sometimes we would have to tell them why we needed to go to the toilet," she said.

"It was hugely embarrassing, you would toy with yourself [as to] whether you had the confidence to put up your hand and ask. It's a big feeling of potential judgement."

Holly said she and her friends had "bled through our underwear", adding: "One of my friends bled through onto a chair and had to do a walk of shame. It was one of her first periods and people made fun of her for weeks."

She said some toilets were "locked off" during class time, to stop pupils going to certain parts of the school.

Holly added there was "massive inequality" for menstruating students, who sometimes had to detour to the school office to get period products.

"Even the women in the school act like they don't understand what it's like.

"I don't understand why period products can't be in the toilets."

She said she accepted that misbehaviour in the toilets - such as vandalism, vaping and truancy - was a concern for staff, but she wanted them to "address those issues" instead of "punishing good students".

Holly eventually secured a toilet pass, which meant teachers had to allow her out, but said she still faced challenges.

"I am autistic, so the toilets were a space where I could regulate," she explained, adding if she took too long someone would "bang on the door" or think she was "skiving off".

She said this could lead to being overwhelmed.
"One thing gets bigger and bigger until I feel like I am going to explode, and then I can't go back to class and I miss valuable learning time."

She said she was now "much happier" as she could "do what I need to, when I need to".

Holly's mum, Jo Wallace, said she was "baffled" by the toilet rules, adding teenagers were "expected to be very mature and make big life decisions" but also "not trusted" to use the toilets.

"I can't understand how schools have got to this point," she said.

"I think it's laziness, because I think there are ways they could address issues without blocking [toilets] off.

"They need to realise it's having a very detrimental effect."

She added: "It's a difficult time getting your period in school, and they have so much pressure on them already.

"I went to Radyr myself and it wasn't like that, we had access to the toilets at all points, it wasn't an issue."

Ms Wallace said she understood teachers had to follow policies, but questioned the "benefit" of the rules on "children who are just trying to get through the day".

A UK-wide survey by Caerphilly-based company phs Group, external, in partnership with menstrual justice charity Irise International, found 65% of students were unable to access toilets at their school freely at any time.

Of these, 29% needed permission from a teacher to leave the classroom and 15% required a pass to be issued.

Of the 501 teachers who took part, 5% reported school toilets being locked at some point during the school day, including break times, with 4% saying they were shut all the time.

And16% said they had prevented a student who had periods from using the bathroom during class, with reasons including students wanting to skip lessons or meet friends.

About 30% felt students on their periods should wait until the end of a lesson.

Erin, a sixth form student at Bedwas High School in Caerphilly county, said following renovations to the school toilets, facilities were now designated to different year groups but were not equal in terms of access to sanitary products and bins.

The 17-year-old said toilets were locked during lessons and permission was mostly denied apart from a "handful" of times, "if you say it's an emergency".

"When I've needed to go to change my period products, I've been refused. Because I really needed to go, I decided to speak out in class about why [and] ended up walking out and been told off," she said.

Like Holly, Erin said she understood "behavioural issues" were the reason for the restrictions, but added it was unfair on others.

"Not everyone can raise their voice in class and say exactly why they need to go. And having to do this in front of teachers and boys in the class could be embarrassing.

"One of my friends was too shy to speak up, and she leaked through her uniform."

Cardiff council said more than £1m had been invested through its Period Dignity initiative which aims to improve school facilities "to ensure dignity for learners".

"Secondary schools are provided with a variety of period products, and dispensers have been installed in school toilets to ensure easy access to period products without needing to ask staff," it said.

"We acknowledge the challenges some schools face in keeping toilet facilities free from anti-social behaviour and ensuring safeguarding, which may lead to restricted use during the day. However, we are committed to working with schools to find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed."

Caerphilly council said toilet regulations were made by schools, adding it recommended parents discuss any issues with their child's school directly by following the complaints policy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kv8vxzn99o

[Niamh.]

It's a ridiculous rule, especially for girls when they have their period

[Vicky.]

My niece was refused a loo break and ended up bleeding through her uniform, it's ****ing ridiculous

[arista]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

My niece was refused a loo break and ended up bleeding through her uniform, it's ****ing ridiculous

That is shocking,

[Mystic Mock]

Toilets should never be locked off.

[Zizu]

These high schools have these crazy rules as soo many pupils were regularly going out of lessons repeatedly and for long periods just to either smoke or vape or meet up with mates .. they even synchronised everything on school ipads or mobile phones


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[thesheriff443]

Unfortunately good kids get punished for bad kids behaviour the same as adults do

Teachers should be aware of the bad kids and let the good kids go to the toilet

[Alf]

Just piss on the classroom floor. They'd soon change the rules.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Alf

Just piss on the classroom floor. They'd soon change the rules.

No they wouldn’t black mail never works

[Alf]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

No they wouldn’t black mail never works

You call it blackmail, I call it walking in a puddle of piss.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Alf

You call it blackmail, I call it walking in a puddle of piss.

Call it what you like it still doesn’t get the desired results

[Kate!]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

Call it what you like it still doesn’t get the desired results

It probably would. If everyone peed on the floor.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

Call it what you like it still doesn’t get the desired results

Our current Prime Minister got on his knee when some people started rioting over a criminal from America.

Anything is possible.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

No they wouldn’t black mail never works

I think Alf is being a little ironic.

[Cherie]

Don't want to be controversial but we always had time to go to the loo between lessons, do they not have that time any more? like really unless you have an upset stomach then really is there any need to leave class to go to the toilet, as for having period products in toilets that is never going to work as they will just get stolen, maybe have a stash in the office, but again like we were pretty poor but I always had period products and didn't expect them to be provided .... strange times we are in, everyone expects freebies....

[Oliver_W]

A school where I used to work was, let's say, "pretty secure" ... pretty much every classroom block had three lockable toilets with a loo and a sink, pretty much the same as individual disabled toilet.

Obviously that setup is only really feasible where the class sizes are up to seven ...

[Alf]

In my day, the toilets was our place for a smoke between lessons.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Alf

In my day, the toilets was our place for a smoke between lessons.

Kids thinking they are adults

[Alf]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

Kids thinking they are adults

We're still here. And we have more respect for our teachers than the youngsters do today. Many still see our teachers as role models in our lives. Whilst youngsters today see millionaires from the television as their role models.

A smack around the lug was worth that ciggie.

Youtube video

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Alf

We're still here. And we have more respect for our teachers than the youngsters do today. Many still see our teachers as role models in our lives. Whilst youngsters today see millionaires from the television as their role models.

A smack around the lug was worth that ciggie.

Youtube video

I wasn’t stupid enough to smoke or get smacked

[Alf]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

I wasn’t stupid enough to smoke or get smacked

I was. I still am.

I didn't change because society demanded I should.

[BBXX]

Expelling your bladder in a toilet is a basic human right and nobody should be forced to risk a UTI by holding it in because they might miss 3 minutes of class.

[Zizu]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Expelling your bladder in a toilet is a basic human right and nobody should be forced to risk a UTI by holding it in because they might miss 3 minutes of class.

Hundreds of thousands face that hardship every single school day now


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[Cherie]

Originally Posted by BBXX

Expelling your bladder in a toilet is a basic human right and nobody should be forced to risk a UTI by holding it in because they might miss 3 minutes of class.

Originally Posted by Zizu

Hundreds of thousands face that hardship every single school day now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't think it was any different when we went to school? Teachers were not inclined in secondary school to let people out of class but there was always the opportunity between lessons

[Cherie]

It was different in primary you put your hand up and off you went 😂