Parents have claimed a school are going against the human rights of children after installing 'prison' shutters over toilet doors.
They say Hope Academy, in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, have gone too far by removing access during periods of the day, reports the LiverpoolEcho.
The school fitted the guards on the first and second floor pupil toilets and they remain locked during lesson times.
Mums and dads shared their anger after photos of the new caged doors were taken and later uploaded to social media earlier this week.
The concerned parent took the Facebook to share her annoyance, in a post they said: "Is this a joke? I thought I was sending my child to school - not prison. All toilets will be opened only when Ofsted is in.
"One set of toilets for the whole school. Sign In To use toilet. What’s wrong with having someone going around checking the loos? Some kids are gonna suffer badly with this. I ain't happy."
Some parents even go as far as to say they would stop their child from going to school if they were not allowed to use the toilets when they needed it.
One parent said: "If my child wasn't allowed to use the toilet, they wouldn't be going to school, this can't be right not allowing children these facilities. Why are they doing this?"
Marie Adams, principal of Hope Academy said: "The rules around use of the toilets at Hope Academy have not changed in recent days. Four toilets on the 1st and 2nd floors are now locked using shutters during lesson times, these are accessible at the start of every break and lunch times as normal.
"There are also two available toilets on both the 1st and 2nd floors for those students who have toilet passes. There are a further 42 toilets and 3 disabled toilets on the bottom floor which are available to use throughout the day.
"Students are not required to sign in to use any toilets. Yesterday, we monitored approximately how many students accessed the toilets during lesson time and it was around 82 which demonstrates that students are able to access the toilets when required.
"If female students are on their monthly cycle they know to request a toilet pass which can be issued for one week. All students with toilet passes know to use the disabled toilets on each floor or the toilets on the ground floor, it is their choice. Long-term toilet passes are issued to students following communication from a doctor or a health practitioner.
"The Academy has received emails from two concerned parents and a further parent came onto site after school on Wednesday to speak with a member of the leadership team. All queries have been resolved positively.
"Parents/carers are encouraged to contact their child’s pastoral managers from their associated year groups (as these staff are non-teachers and are accessible throughout the day) so that they can be reassured that the social media activity is factually incorrect and has been taken out of context."
This clarification however, has not stopped harsh criticism of the policy by parents, who feel that making children use the ground floor toilets is unfair, one parent said : "Surely schools have a duty to the health of the children. Stopping them using the toilet is not healthy.
"Children will stop drinking for fear of needed the toilet in class time. Also where is the right to privacy if they have to explain why they need the toilet.
"Surely making a blanket policy which does not take into account the needs of the individual children they care for is in breach of some legal policies?"
