Teachers: do you find it hard? (high school toilets)

In Ghana some schools still use corporal punishment as do many parents. So yes the UK is less strict by that metric. You can't really compare that culture because of how from so young (especially for girls), we're demonised for speaking as we're taught to be seen and not heard. Cultures like that also have strong feelings on age being equivalent not just to respect but deference. For example (my experience), kids often kneel for adults and have to wait for them to touch your back to give permission for you to you get back up.

@MrsHamlet Partly you're right, some rules around it (you're school sounds different to many other on here) does likely stop those who don't actually need it going. However we also have research, particularly from girls, but also boys, to show that more students aren't asking due to embarrassment and shame, they need to go and are holding it in too much (which everyone knows is bad and can cause UTIs or just worse bladders). More kids are also reporting just not drinking throughout the whole school day (more extreme), but more are just drinking a lot less. Many kids as I said in my earlier post with recent research attached from the UK, more girls are skipping all of school when on their period - and of the key reasons they mention, is this as well as other issues (bullying from boys - which is why they don't want to announce it to teachers etc). As we can see from this thread, many girls have leaked on their periods and so I'm sure the fear of this is having a negative effect as well, also contributing to less students asking to go.

First of all, dealing with the issues in general (this isn't just school's responsibility but government, parents, other social institutions etc), so let's be honest, kids are being vapes to each other all the time, during and away from school, not just the toliets. Though on that, I think the home and government have the biggest role. More schools should get those vape and smoke detectors (yes funding should be provided), though I already know scholls many years ago having these. They are specific to the toliet it's happening in and alert staff.

The area of the toliet for sinks etc, should either be one in the toliet room (which should just be individual, not cubicles with weak doors) or that area should be completely open. That way hopefully people can hear if any nonsense starts.

Period passes should be automatic, I've know many schools to do this (and in my experience my lovely head of year on her own). She never had a problem once with it, in 3 years when she did it. 1. Girls had to come to her (though she was lovely so nobody minded), you could do this in the morning or lunch etc, and tell her. She'd then write a note in our planners, with our names and the date (so the whole week), and because she gave them to us, obviously you couldn't come more than once a month. Even if this was extended to a few different teachers, it could still work well - if logged on a wider system. She'd also sign it.

The other issues such as bullying, as I said earlier, banning toilet use isn't stopping that problem - just stoping it happening in one place. Bullying still happens when staff are around, and it's symptomatic of a wider issue. Again with knife crime, that's a whole separate issue, about SS, families with no support system until it gets to late, adultifcaiton and systemic racism in society and school safeguarding processes, poor youth offending support etc. But a kid will still pull out a knife and unfortunately we've seen those incidents to teachers as well (perhaps more metal detectors are needed, I know some academies etc which have these).

On vandalism - that's probably the biggest issue which banning toliet use helps (as for the others it just puts a band aid on the problem). I think it comes from respect and sort of pride in your school. School environments have become about conformity, stripping away student identity and anything which relates to them in the curriculum and overly strict policies on things which have no difference to learning. Kids have always hated school yes. But schools right now aren't safe spaces for kids, they don't feel it's mutual respect anymore, they don't feel part of something (I think especially in massive MATs where everything is copied and pasted and teachers can't adapt things to the school population). Why wouldn't they rebel and break school property. This obviously is a hard issue to deal with, and obviously vandalism costs a lot, and that money can't go elsewhere. But I think having open areas of the sink etc and CCTV there can help (not in the actual toliets but anywhere before it). Trying systems like having more toliets in general and where possible next to offices.

I know some schools have like pastoral teams (non-teaching) and have put the toliets there, and because the office is see-through with glass, all the staff (including lots of admin staff etc who can alert SLT duty) can see straight through, to the biggest boys toliet. Again they have done this with as many toliets as possible and the threat of staff seeing has helped. But they haven't had to ban toliet use, the policy is basically unless you really suspect they're up to something let them go (rare these days I know), some kids still have medical cards but staff know and that just happens with a nod or something. It's one at a time, and it's logged if they spend too long.

Is this all perfect, no, but I do think where possible some of this is workable or should be implemented when schools can (with more money etc). Another great idea I saw, was the card system with an electronic strong lock, however would cost a lot and obviously not possible right now. But ideally would be the solution. I was thinking for disabled toliets there's a radar key (for some not all) and most disabled people buy one and it unlocks those specific toliets. A system like that could work and maybe one key per classroom, teacher gives it out and they come back and hand it in. That saves all the long walking to the office - more chances for long bored walks back and seeing a friend and disrupting a lesson. That would require obviously all toliets to be individual and changed, so not a right now solution, more idealistic.

The incident someone said where a girl was jumped, quick question. Were all the kids in the same class? If so why were so many let out at once. If not were they waiting for her? Like they all asked, but how did they know she was going there then - or did they message on phones during lesson? It's much easier to do it on the playground or out of school, in my experience.

It's not mine at all. Students are allowed to go to the toilet in lessons but that is monitored. Funnily enough, they really don't need to go as often when they know that.

I think you've just found the solution to the breakdown in trust between parents and schools -- open, brazen contempt for their children's most basic needs.

I always have to remind myself that the teachers who post here aren't representative of all teachers. They're just representative of those who are unhappy enough in their work to vent about it on Internet forums.

What about a teachers right to go to the toilet? They can’t just down tools and leave a class. I’ve taught whilst heavily pregnant and through two pregnancies. No dispensation was give to me. If I needed to loo or had morning sickness it was tough.

timewasting going to the toilet is endemic. Yes there are always genuine requests. And as an experienced teacher I can spot these. I don’t say no to toilet requests. But I’ve clear sanctions for the ones I know are at it so those who genuinely need aren’t disadvantaged by us having a blanket ban.

Part of the problem is how our schools are designed in a way that children need to leave class and walk quite far to an unsupervised or remote toilet block. In some other countries schools are designed so that each class room has their own toilet or a few toilets shared between just a few classrooms, so it's very easy to let children go and know who is where, the wouldn't have to roam the corridors or have the opportunity to mess around.

I appreciate we can't just rebuild our schools in this way, but future planning could take account of it.

I think we would actually be more interested in your solution to your management issue...since it is, after all, your management issue.

That simply isn't true.

My dp works in the NHS in a clean room environment, if he wants to go to the toilet her first needs to find cover as the department can't be left without a supervisor, change his shoes and scrubs, bin his PPE then he can go and then he has to changes, scrub back in etc.
His staff's toilet breaks are also monitored and staff have been pulled up for taking too long in the toilet and not going their breaks (he doesn't do this but other supervisors do).

There are many jobs I can think of where toilet breaks aren't immediately available. Mostly lone workers where you can't leave your station or caring professions where someone else is reliant on you for care or supervision.

That said I do think every human should have access to a toilet when they need one.

They're 11. They're not babies.

Not a teacher but I do think it’s incredibly unreasonable to deny a year 7 to go to the toilet on their first day. They’re still only little.

Also laughing at the UK state system being described as ‘extreme’ and ‘draconian’ on this thread.. today I had a lovely girl join us from Ghana. I asked her how she found school (our school has a rep for being stricter than some other local high schools) she said she was amazed how nice the teachers were and how you can talk on the corridors between lessons 😂 she also said she heard a boy swear and was absolutely shocked 🙈😂

How would you manage safeguarding then in a school of 1300 kids, with several unattended toilets ? Genuinely asking not being facetious. If all toilets are unlocked and kids allowed to go in whenever they like, how do you monitor the goings on and safeguard every child? I am genuinely open to suggestions and I have had many a meeting at my school about this, nothing ever seems to work that pleases everyone

So what is your solution to our "management issue"?

Yes of course. As they feel so strongly about the right of their dc to have open access to toilets.

There is no world where children, particularly girls, should be stopped from using the toilets when they need to. A “toilet pass” is horrible thing to have. Children having to declare a personal issue to the entire class is just not on.

If schools have a problem with kids using toilets to avoid class or with vandalism etc, that’s a management issue, it should not be solved by denying children access to a basic provision.

With staff who think needing to use the bathroom or having an upset stomach is a sign of "main character syndrome" it truly is shocking that so many students find schools are not suited to their needs.

It's also wonder that so many parents refuse to "support the school" when your only solution for a problem that every other advanced country has managed to solve is a particularly degrading form of collective punishment. If I were a student who did the work, followed the rules, and generally did everything I could to make your job as a teacher easier, and your response to all that was refusing to let me use the toilet, I would lose every shred of respect I had for you, as would anyone else with even an ounce of self-respect.

We even provide pens and pencils and rulers , in a lovely branded pencil case, at my school, then get shirty emails when a kid loses theirs and is asked to provide another. Doubt anyone is going to willingly pay for a dbs to monitor the loos!

It’s not ‘the mindless few’ though. There is a sort of mob mentality that comes in, I’ve spoken to parents who have worked hard to provide nice middle class lives for their kids, lovely big house in the right area, lovely village primary school, s, holidays galore, designer clothes etc whatever they need whenever they need it and the child has pulled a sink clean off a wall filming themself messing about in a toilet that they begged a passing teacher to unlock during a lesson. The teacher was then disciplined for the damage done as they let the child in. We are talking 14-15 year olds here. In a ‘naice’ school. Other times when toilets are unlocked at lunch we have had kids pants pulled down, doors kicked in when they’re using the loo and filmed, thc vapes sold to year 7s. For every parent fuming their child can’t come and go to the loo as and when, there is a parent fuming their child has been a victim of something in said loo or who has to deal with their kid being in trouble for something they’ve done in it.

schools have to have some sort of control over it, it’s the only way to keep kids safe. We try and be generous with toilet passes, not asking for ‘proof’ or anything like that, we pass on info re medical or anxiety related conditions so it’s distributed well and no one is not allowed who has a real need, we have coloured cards for kids who have been allowed to leave the lesson for the loo, we are lenient with year 7s. But every single term there is some sort of incident and some poor kid comes out of it badly and a parent is fuming. You cannot win.

I think OP was saying in an ideal world, where schools have plenty of money and are overfunded not underfunded, that this would be her solution. I don't think she expects schools to be able to do this now.

Are they paying for their own DBS?

Below is some of the research (not all) on this issue, but we clearly have loads just in this thread of experiences showing the impact:

• 2025 UK whitepaper by phs Group in partnership with menstrual health charity Irise reports 47% of girls have been stopped from using toilets during lessons, 22% have bled through clothing at school, and over a quarter have missed school during their period due to pain, heavy bleeding and embarrassment about asking to go to the toliet and fear of refusal.

• 257% rise in severely absent girls between 2017/18 and 2023/24. With many girls reporting periods as a main reason they're absent and more being absent for their whole period. The issues they report include lack of empathy from teachers about periods (as in the many symptoms which imapct their ability to learn, not being understood or adapted to) and also fear and embarrassment over having to tell a teacher and potentially the whole class they're on their period. When bullying from boys about periods is increasing along with misogyny towards girls. - I personally think this links to the phenomenon of women and girls constantly being told their "too dramatic and should just get on with it" and that "their pain is normal" or that the multiple symptoms periods bring shouldn't effect them in school at all, we're talking pain, lack of concentration, diarrhoea or constipation, tiredness, headaches, and more (also PMS and PMDD - for which they won't have had a chance to be diagnosed for yet).

• Plan International UK’s 2025 survey highlights bullying/teasing about periods (by peers and adults) and reports of not being allowed to use the toilet when needed

• UK Safeguarding guidance (NSPCC, July 2024) notes that children avoiding toilets or being unable to go can lead to UTIs and other medical problems, which in turn contribute to school absence and anxiety. (So then it furthers medical issues and more kids will be eligible for passes anyways).

• UK continence charities ERIC and Bladder & Bowel UK advise schools to allow timely toilet access

• Many menstrual health issues are undiagnosed in adolescence. So girls cannot yet have the medical passes, as the issues will only just be starting to emerge and we know possible gynaecological issues take time to diagnose.
•https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/may/22/heavy-periods-affect-school-attendance-and-exam-scores-study-in-england-finds?

I hope you have contacted SENCo and hit pass sorted. I work in a school and to agree a supporting measure and not to have it in place for first day is unacceptable.

Parents have offered to do this at various schools I think and (rightly) been told absolutely not.

I think they'd have no idea what they were letting themselves in for.

First of all, there are always plenty of opportunities on a trip, if it's to France they'll be on a plane and they'll be a toliet. Even if it's a coach journey, they normally stop and also they'll all go beforehand as well. A trip isn't every day, it will be once in a while, and for a short period of time. We don't apply situations which are occasional to set the judgements for every day. You're just trying to use one situation to say that that means that should be replicated in lesson, evem when it's in a different environment. If you read by other posts, you'll see the points which I care much more about, rather than just pontificating on one thing which is an occasional event.

I'd say that yes a dead child is bad (to be honest, kids have gone to the toliet on a coach in my experience but yes I understand the risk), so even if they weren't allowed, I'd day the effect on a child (particularly girls as new research is showing links with rises of 275% in girls absences, not just this obviously), if they bleed through, soil themselves, or feel so anxious about lessons they don't come to school, or don't do the work, is also incredibly bad, not just exposing them to easy bullying (when we already known girls feel shame around periods and endure jokes from boys around them), but also the personal effect on their wellbeing.

@SoMuchLego You say students are unreasonable to think 'why shouldn't I be uncomfortable', how is that unreasonable. They're already in lessons all day, have lots of homework and tests, more than ever, and more kids than ever have issues (complicated families and mental health and so much more), why should they be uncomfortable? Any urologist will tell you it's bad for anyone to have to repeatdly hold their bladder, even if they can and aren't near peeing themselves, it's still bad. What life lesson are they learning from the discomfort. Yes there are times you can't go to the toilet in life, but few and far between (expect teaching, we know). Like I mentioned before, its funny how because teachers can't go, the argument suddenly holds weight that students shouldn't have to also. But for basic jewelry, or painted nails, the argument that teachers can so why can't students, is deemed as stupid.

@Endlesswandering 'Maybe toilets with a one in one out door policy (students scan their student card to get in?'
I actually think (if schools had more money) this would be a great idea, using smart card and tech. But that will have to wait till schools have so much money they don't know what to do with all of it, which is definitely not anytime soon with how stretched school budgets are.

Parents could volunteer to do it on a rota.