To ask what you think to this school new rule?

At my first primary school there was no food or drink allowed at breaks let alone in class. It was for lunch time only. There were no water bottles. Toilets were used only at break/lunch time, I think they were locked the rest of the time and teachers didn't allow you out of the class. Not saying that was right but it is probably possible to swing too far the other way.

Ah, one of those parents then. The parent that all teachers roll their eyes about in the staff room and the one with the kids in regular detention in senior school, as they haven’t been brought up with any manners or respect for others or rules.

We never drank during class and neither did my children when they were at school so unless lessons are now three hours longer than before, I can’t see the problem.

Of course they can. I can’t go to the toilet when I want in my job.

Sounds sensible

What about if you're a police officer, a prison officer, work in court, maybe you're a surgeon or a train driver, do you think you can just nip to the toilet whenever you like?

I let mine all have a drink after their breaks and I allow water bottles in class when it’s very hot. My god though, the constant disruption is unbelievable. Even worse when the school bottle has a sports cap that they suck on constantly like it’s a dummy. We come in after lunch at 1.15 and by 1.30 the toilet run starts … and then we have the bottle flippers, the ones who tip them all over their books, the ones who put open bottles back in the crate upside down and create a hazard. I no longer allow filling up or going to the toilet whilst I am explaining anything or in the taught bit of the lesson. If that makes me a monster so be it.

DS is in year one and they're only allowed their water bottles during early morning (soft open between 8:30 and 8:50 bell goes at 8:50 after that is late) , morning snack time ( with fruit) , lunchtime and during afternoon choosing time. DS manages 2-3 500ml bottles in that time, include his drink with breakfast and anything he drinks after 3:15 and he's very well hydrated.
I don't think children need constant water, even adults carrying around bottles of it is a relatively new thing. I can imagine it's also very disruptive if children are either getting to to get drinks during lessons, whether they need them or not, or if they have them on tables to fiddle with.

Certainly from year 2 onwards, children are encouraged to use the toilet at break and lunchtime, but should always be allowed to go during transitions or if they are feeling uncomfortable. Accidents in class should never happen. Children should not be denied access to water, but water bottles should be stored centrally and accessed during transitions or at other appropriate times during the school day. I would check what the school policy actually is and you'll probably find that the protocol is something more like the above.

Obviously I’m ancient but I managed to get through my entire education without carrying a water bottle around. I’m not sure that human physiology has changed that much in the intervening period.

Thats ok, because you don't know my kids. They know how to advocate for themselves, that is not the same as being a brat.

The school have no issue with me or my children, and employers cant specify when its OK to go to the toilet either.

To tell my children they can go to the toilet when they need? Or drink when theyre thirsty? I think it is.

I've stopped letting my students have their water bottles at their tables, half of them are sucking at the straws or biting and not drinking, some get knocked off tsbles, others have lids not quite tight and they spill. The bottles get bigger every year. Kids don't need 24/7 access to water. British kids aren't dehydrated. This is an ok thing to do

You could leave lessons to get a drink?
We had one water fountain in primary school. You could use it at break time and lunchtime. Or occasionally in lessons if someone felt unwell/sick, they were allowed to get a cup of water from the fountain.
But drinking all day whenever we wanted wasn’t allowed.

I'm assuming OP lives in the UK where 25 degrees is considered a heatwave

I lived in Singapore as a kid and we didn't have or need water bottles on our desks. We drank before school started, at playtime and lunch. Nobody got ill and I'm pretty sure I wasn't sitting in class gasping for a drink. We didn't carry water to constantly suck on when out and about either. It was hot and very humid.

I was thinking the same. The only exception was with a diabetic child and I only ever came across one.

Do you know where they got this from?

There has never been any official communication about this at my DC's school but it's definitely something I've noticed.

They did allow the kids to drink more when it was really hot though.

You walked out of lessons all the time to access them? Unlikely.

I'm nearly 60 and I remember we had numerous water fountain ms at our school which were accessible all the time

Based on the amount of disruptions in my lesson around drinks and toilet trips I would agree with it. Straight away there is the assumption that the restriction will be unreasonable without speaking to the school.

I’ve put restrictions in my lessons already because it was unmanageable. I let students fill their bottles at the start or end of a lesson only, that means they have 2 opportunities in an hour to fill their bottle. Now I’m stood at the front speaking to the class, I wouldn’t need more than two bottles of water in the space of an hour so neither will they. I also have a rule that the bottle needs to be off of their desk, it can be at the side of the room, they can access it at the start and end plus once more during the lesson but not when I am speaking at the front because it’s disruptive and not during specific tasks. On their desk and they fiddle with it constantly and sip every two minutes, I will have to shout to be heard over 25+ kids fiddling with bottles and I’m not willing to do that, it also distracts other students which isn’t fair. They then also need the toilet because they’ve finished a full bottle of water, once one goes they all decide they need it. It’s disruptive and I can’t safeguard the students if they aren’t in the classroom, it gets too difficult to keep track who is in and out after a point.

I imagine the school will have similar restrictions and they aren’t unreasonable, they are because the behaviour has lead to it.

I recently had a consultation with continence services for my elderly mum who is bladder incontinent. They’re of the opinion that between 1.5 and 2 litres of liquid per day is plenty under normal circumstances.

Agreed. I teach 45 minute sessions and spend loads of my time being asked if they can have a drink or go to the toilet. A good 60-70 per cent of the requests are time wasting or an excuse to get up and wander around. I'd be in favour of them all being told to have a drink before a lesson/activity starts and reminded no more drinks until the end of the lesson. Same with toilet visits unless a kid is genuinely looking desperate.