Parents say they are 'disgusted' by a Bristol school’s new toilet arrangements that came into force this week. A letter was sent to all caregivers by Patchway Community School yesterday (November 29), outlining that unless 'urgent' toilets would only be open for the 15-minute morning break, at lunchtime and after school.
Prior to the changes only one set of student toilets was in operation, and the school says more toilets have now reopened to pupils - five sets of gender-neutral toilets, with each one designated to a particular year group. An extract from the letter from the school states that the new arrangements "are in response to the end of the pandemic" and are in line with other schools in the same multi-academy trust.
However, although there are toilets in reception that are open all day "if urgent", parents claim the five main toilet blocks are locked outside of the designated times, which they say is too restrictive. Concerned mum Lucy Cox told Bristol Live that the school has “failed” its students with regard to safeguarding and is worried the new arrangements will impact her teenage daughter. The part-time law student said: “It's disgusting. The way that the school is treating the kids is inhumane."
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She claims since the new policy has been launched, children had soiled themselves. The school has denied this and said “no student had soiled themselves as a consequence of its new arrangement” but stated that there are “a small minority of students with ongoing medical needs who have access to toilets throughout the school day”.
The letter to parents and carers states that the five toilet blocks are open "before school, during break, lunchtimes and after school and all five sets of toilets are open for the full 15 minute morning break" and that "each toilet facility is supervised by a member of staff to ensure they are treated respectfully and kept in good working order".
The school told Bristol Live that “no staff member is present in the toilets but supervision is in place immediately outside each toilet block”. Its letter adds that "if urgently needed, toilets are available for students to use throughout the day in reception".
Ms Cox said: “How can a school with over 700 students be expected to use these five allocated bathrooms in that timeline? It is not possible." She claims students have to stand in queues and wait for a member of staff to unlock the doors and that even during the school’s 35-minute lunch break, they have to wait for an attendant to open the facilities.
Another Patchway parent, who has asked to remain anonymous, said his 14-year-old daughter is worried about her feminine hygiene should she have a period mishap due to the new toilet measures. “She is anxious,” he added.
The 32-year-old dad believes the school’s new policies are in relation to past vandalism and now the establishment is “penalising everybody for the actions of a few children". He said: "Even in prisons, it's a human right to be able to use the toilets.” The school said “ensuring the toilets are treated with care and respect to ensure a safe and clean environment for students to use was integral to the decision”.
Parents claimed that is students are permitted urgent use of the toilet during lessons, they require a key from the office staff. They also noted that it would be left to the teacher to decide if it was deemed urgent, which they felt should not be the case.
A spokesperson for Patchway Community School said: “All students have access to toilets throughout the entire school day. Students have more access to toilets than preciously, as all toilets are now designated to year groups.
"The new measures ensure that toilet areas are safe and clean for all students to use throughout the school day.
"The current arrangements are a trial for the next term and constantly under review. These measures have been taken in response to student and parent requests and have globally been well received."
The school provided a comment from an unnamed Year 7 pupil, who was quoted as saying: "Now we have our own toilets, I feel I am able to use them as they are clean and don’t have lots of other students hanging around in them."
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