Childrens Toilet breaks

[Mumof3onetwothree]

My child's school have been told they can only go to the toilet during lunchtime - a new rule. So now my child isn't finishing her lunch because shes queuing for the toilet for a lot of eating time.
I understand it must be annoying to have 30 children going to the toilet during class time but on the other hand she is coming out of school absolutely starving and then needs a huge snack if we are to have any kind of half decent afternoon but then isn't hungry for dinner. And often it's hard to get her to eat enough after school as she just wants her usual quick snack then homework and playing or activity but then the crankiness is off the charts.
It was going fine when she could go to the bathroom during class and had enough time to eat all her food.
Not sure what is reasonable to expect because I see it from the teacher's side too.

Thanks interesting to hear this ...the rule came from the principal not the class teacher. The principal is v intimidating and I and many others have had difficulties before with trying to communicate with her so I am trying to figure out the norm or what's acceptable before I say anything. And there's never any communication from the school about this type of thing it just filters home via the children.

Write to the department, board of management and advise them of your concerns regarding this policy and query it's legal status.

Ask the principal to show parents that this policy is legal, inline with DES and TUSLA. Next step off to tell to "Joe", I absolutely abhour bullies and that is what this is.

My understanding is it is not legal and would be questionable in child welfare.

Is it right to encourage children to not drink and to hold wee? As women we are regularly told we are not doing are bladders any favours by doing just this.
I guess as hand washing tends to be a dip in cold without soap as it's always run out yes you could rinse hands with dirty water running over the hands at the bottom you can have 6 hands washed under one running tap and ensure the water is always fresh ....no wonder bugs are rife at school. Would you think it's okay to share a sink in a public loo like this? What if the child got wee poo or blood on them? It should take 120 children 8 minutes just in hand washing time. Not a lot left to queue for the cubicles and use them.
No wonder why we have kids who can no longer wash their hands and think dip and run is fine.

How can the cubical time be less than the minimum 20 secs wash time? You do know on your heart this is token care don't you?

I would be completely against this. My youngest has difficulties holding so I’d go as far to remove my kids from the school. It’s unhealthy and it could actually make going to school an anxious experience for many. It’s a decision made for the good of the adults not for the well-being of the children.

I would read the complaints processs, gather together other parents and send a letter to the principal, board of management ect…. Or whatever your complaints process is. Good luck.

The child is 8, this is so unacceptable. I sort of understand it at high school (although I don't agree with it) but these are young children.

I would complain OP.

ERIC who were mentioned earlier have. Phone line, I’d give them a ring and ask for advice about how to speak to the principle.
They may well do it for you, they have lots of resources on the website that can be used as class materials.

@stealtheatingtunnocks the op is in Ireland so they would have better success with national references from TUSLA, DES etc.

UK references are usually not considered as school structure differs. Outside national references then European references would b next.

yes, I meant that the information about bladders and toileting in kids is universal. Teachers need to be aware of those - toileting can be a life long issue as pp have mentioned.

@stealtheatingtunnocks it's a procedural thing all references submitted to DES will generally be returned if not quoting appropriate Irish references, then European. Similar I imagine to England where you would be expected to quote English reference over Australian.

You can't give them loop holes 😜.

How long is the school day?

Talk to the chair of governors if you can’t talk to the head.

I teach year 3 and never refuse to let a child go to the toilet. At the most I might ask them to wait until someone else has come back or they have started on an independent task.

I would remove my child if they weren't allowed to go when they needed. Having access to the toilet is about basic comfort and dignity. At that age the need can be sudden and unexpected.

Our DCs are free to go when they want but for some reason they are instructed not to talk. This means they are frightened to report a mess, lack of toilet paper, no soap etc. so I hear about it when they come home.

Lots of schools have strange toilet rules. I don't know what the answer is but making toileting a worrying/anxiety provoking event isn't right.

60 girls all using 3 toilets in 10 minutes is 30 seconds each. That is miraculous.

Some teachers/heads have such weird power trips about children going to the toilet. I teach primary and they can go whenever they like. I might say ‘can you wait until (whatever)’ but if they can’t it’s fine. The less of a big deal the teacher makes has the same effect on the children - I would say about 3-6 children out of 30 ask each day.

8.30-2pm

Bizarrely I have returned to this thread as awful incident happened at my child's school. Teacher is off sick and for last month there's been a new supply teacher. Prior to this supply teacher coming there has never been any concerns with toileting.

I found out last week this supply teacher has been locking the toilets for breaktime and also denying kids access during lessons. So my 10 year old has gone whole day every day for the last month without access to the toilets.

It exploded on WhatsApp group and several complaints have been sent.The school is denying they are doing it saying all kids have access to the toilets all day long, but it's this bloody supply teacher!!!

I had to take my child out the school.

Does anyone have any advice how to handle this next?

No supply teacher would be given keys to lock anything as supply, not even a desk drawer. Definitely not children's toilets!

What is more realistic is children are asking to go during lesson time, supply is saying "not during lesson time, they're locked". Children try it on with Supply teachers so she's ready with a reason why she can't have them all out in the toilets during lessons.

I would 100% discuss with a teacher. In the "DD says she only gets 10 minutes to eat lunch and use the toilet during the day, I figured she must be confused becuase that can't possibly be right. When are they allowed to use the toilet?"
If teacher confirms its right then you complain, becuase that's barbaric. But hopefully your daughter is just confused and you can explain that the teacher said you go dur8ng the whole break, ask the teacher to reiterate this with the class beucase kids are upset and confused.

There will be other breaks too, it will not just be lunchtime