Parents ‘disgusted’ by toilet policy at Bristol school

A letter was sent by Patchway Community School saying outlining that unless ‘urgent’ access to toilet facilities would be limited during the day. Credit: BPM Media

Parents at a school in Bristol say they are ‘disgusted’ by a new policy limiting student access to toilets during school hours.

A letter was sent by Patchway Community School in Almondsbury on Tuesday 29 November outlining that unless ‘urgent’ access to toilet facilities would be limited during the day.

It states that other than one emergency toilet block in reception, facilities would only be open for the 15-minute morning break, at lunchtime and after school, ‘in line with other schools in the same multi-academy trust’.

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".

Parent Lucy Cox said: “It's disgusting, the way that the school is treating the kids is inhumane.

“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 since the new policy has been launched, children had soiled themselves. The school has denied this 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 "each toilet facility is supervised by a member of staff to ensure they are treated respectfully and kept in good working order".A spokesperson for Patchway Community School has 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 are 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 said: "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."