Son not allowed to go to the toilet at school

[angeljs]

My seven year old son is not allowed to go to the toilet in lesson time. He told the teacher he was desperate, and she still refused to let him go. The result was that he wet himself, then was actually chastised by the school! This is just one of the ongoing problems we have with this school, but we have no transport and cannot remove him.

letter to school. Copy to board of governers and OFSTED.

That is a violation of his human rights. At 7 years old the teacher can't even make the excuse that she would need to leave the classroom to accompany him either! I would take this up with the headteacher as a matter of urgency.

From the teacher's pov I can see that having pupils disappear from lessons can be very disruptive. It is also the case that some children abuse being allowed to go to the loo during lesson time.

However, if your ds had said that he was desperate and was not one to normally abuse being allowed to the toilet, then the teacher refusing to let him go is outrageous. Also at age 7 they are still learning about going at break times as they want to get out into the playground and forget about the need to go to the loo before returning to lessons. I would be furious and agree with a very strong letter to the school.

If my son was refused access to the loo and then wet himself and was told off for it, I would be in theat school and defending my son that very day. How outrageous! Definitely agree with everyone esle that you amke as much stink as possible (sorry for the pun).

Agree with Highlander. Poor lad.

God some of the things I read here are just mad, mad, mad and I agree with everyone else, this is one of them. Fgs, these are children and going to the loo when you need to go is such a basic need. Definitely write, straight away.

This is shocking. Agree with the others that this can't be overlooked. To not let him use the loo and let him wet himself in front of his classmates is atrocious.

I can still remember this happening to me when I was about the same age and some of the boys at school actually teased me for a few days afterwards

Poor kid!!!! Personally I would go into the school and raise hell.

Yes I would definitely put this in writing to the head and keep a copy.

I'm always really puzzled when I hear stories like this. I thought this sort of thing went out with the cane, I really did.

Definite formal complaint, apology, and explanation of how they will deal with such events in future. I can understand the point about it being disruptive and some kids taking the piss (as it were) about going to the loo, but the way to get round that is to enforce a going to the loo time at the beginning or end of break. We were never allowed back into the classroom at the end of break unless we had been to the loo, right up until the end of primary school.

If it's true then it's appalling and of course you should raise merry hell about it.

Maybe it would be wise to check with the teacher concerned first, though, as it's entirely possible that your son isn't giving you the whole truth. I went to school with a boy who was always wetting himself - he blamed the teacher in this way too, but it was really because he was frightened to go to the toilet on his own, so he hung on and hung on until he had no choice but to wet himself. His parents finally went in all guns blazing, ready to lynch the teacher - and of course it was nothing to do with her. And my own dd wet herself on the way home from her first day at school - she told me that she'd asked the teacher and the teacher had said no. It eventually transpired that she had asked, the teacher had said yes, but dd had forgotten where the toilets were so she simply didn't go.

I'm not saying your son is a liar, by the way - just that sometimes misunderstandings arise.

this was how it was at my school 20 years ago. Its a vile way to treat people. Obviously check if misunderstanding but-you say there are ongoing problems-was he picked on here?

appalling.

that is terrible! your poor little boy, I'd be livid. I know they can't leave the class all the time and have to stay with the kids but there must be another way around it surely?

Copy the letter to your local education authority as well and to the PTA if there is one.

we had this same problem last year at my children's school, I can understand from the teacher's point of view children disapearing willy nilly to go to the toilet, messing arround, etc.. etc... BUT.. the teacher should now know the children who mess about and the ones who are wiggling and need to go...

Has he just gone into year 3???
do they have afternoon play???
did he think he could go later at the break that he now doesn't have???

I agree, have a word with his teacher... then send a letter to the head...

Poor thing, I bet he was really embaresed

Did you speak to the teacher today? How did it go?

I used to teach Y3 and can honestly say I never refused a child who asked to go to loo. It was school policy to give them 5 mins per lesson if needed (chn never knew obviously!)to go. However I have had more than a few parents come in demanding to know why their child had been denied access to loo.... it always transpired to have been a misunderstanding. At this time of year as chn get used to a new teacher they can be so concerned with being good that they don't want to draw attention to themselves for any reason, so many don't even ask. Then if there's been an accident they know that they ought to have asked so 'wriggle' a bit. Could this be the case? If he really wasn't allowed to go then that's terrible but from other side of fence it is rarely the case.