Before I make an arse of myself at school tomorrow, please can you tell me...

[seeker]

......what are the rules about going to the loo for your year 7 child?

I don't have a child in year 7, but I am a secondary teacher - my rule is if they ask I will let them go. I don't let them go in packs though, the next one has to wait until the first returns.

And the loos aren't routinely locked apart from break and lunch?

Never during lesson time unless a note from parent saying they have a medical need. (females sometimes have to be an exception IYKWIM)

Some kids are worried about going at break times because the bigger kids hang around and intimidate.

If your kid is worried or ill you need to tell the school. Don't wait for the teachers to suss it out.

The school rule is that students are not allowed out to the toilet during lessons at my school. Teachers can use their individual judgement in an emergency.

I just asked my year 7 what the rules were for going to the loo in lessons. He said "you don't".

I asked, what if desperate: he said "well you can ask and you won't get into trouble for asking. But some teachers don't allow it"

Our's aren't allowed to go unless absolutely desperate. They have to ask 3 times or so, and the general guidelines in my school is not to let them out of class, particularly trouble makers who will try and meet up in toilets.

They should go at break or lunchtime like we have to! Threatening to bring Pampers in sometimes helps.

At my school we use our judgement - I think I'm pretty good at telling a genuine loo-needer from someone fancying a wander out of class. Basically if they're a generally good kid who doesn't often ask, I'll say yes provided it's not stupidly close to the end or beginning of a lesson and that we're not doing something important. I might say 'wait until I've explained this' or something. Rogues or people who ask too much may well get a no or I might wait until they ask again (amazing how often a child forgets they needed desperately to go earlier!). That's maybe 10% of cases. Someone with a medical need should have a loo pass or note.

Our policy is we don't let them go during lessons. Some students have medical cards, and I occasionally exercise a bit if discretion, but generally I reckon they can make it through an hour.

I have taught at a school where the toilets were locked in lesson times. Students could be sent to reception for a key if necessary.

We had a run of vandalism and locked the loos during lessons then. Normally they aren't locked.

DD is in Year 7. She is allowed to go if she needs to apparently but they have to take their planner with them. The teacher has to sign it to say they have permission to go to the loo in case they are stopped by one of the teacher patrols!

Our lessons are 100 mins.

Students are allowed to go if they ask but one at a time.

I just asked my dd (yr 7) - the toilets aren't locked & she says it depends on the teacher whether they let you go or not. They wouldn't be at all impressed if they asked to go in first, third or fifth period (i.e. immediately after registration/break/lunch) but would let them go in either of the others.

dd1 has been having trouble with this
the school doesnt want to let anyone to the loo
she has ibs and has had some scary moments

the school seems to only cater for the arseholes

DD1 said 'surely it's against your human rights to not be allowed to go to the loo when you need to.'

She added that they are discouraged from going in lesson time but if genuinely desperate it's ok.

A student with ibs at my school would be issued with a medical card and teachers would have to allow her to go to the toilet whenever she asked. Trinity get your doctor to write a note insisting that she be allowed access to the toilet, the school would have to acknowledge it.

We let them go generally at our school and it diesn't seem to be abused (It's a v nice school mind!).

I guess I might ask if they could wait if there were say 10 mins left of the lesson.

I also only let one go at a time.

We don't lock toilets or have vandalism issues.

Your dd needs a toilet pass to show a member of staff.

DD can go to the loo whenever she wants (she needs to drink several litres of water a day), but it's written into her care plan, so all staff know. Some of the toilets are locked during lessons, but worst case scenario she goes to the medical room where she has a understanding with matron.

A couple of teachers have been a bit arsey about it, at least initially, but she's got a reputation for not mucking around and being a "good" student, so it's not currently a problem.

For DC without medical needs, mostly they're told to hang on till the end of the lesson, but discretion is used. There's always a loo they can use, but as above, it may be via matron, and checking up is done if it's felt necessary (DD earwigs when she's in with matron )

I'm not sure one hour gaps between toilet breaks are an abuse of human rights really.

Your Dd would get a medical card at my school trinity.

Our lessons are 100 minutes too. It's very much a case of discretion. A great number of kids are bored/just want to go for a wander. You have to quickly suss out if it's a genuine need. So,no hard and fast rule really. Toilets certainly not locked. In fact, no doors at all, just one big unisex area.

1 at a time, not within 10 mins of a break (either way), and only if I think they look like they genuinely need to go. (If I think they are a time waster, I say 'not right now we're doing X, generally the ones who don't need to go wont ask again- I'm sadly not scary enough that they wouldn't ask again if desperate)

Medical card if there is an issue

Otherwise, it is at teacher's discretion. So Y11 lads who ask every single lesson - no. Y9 girl who asks once in a blue moon - yes.

The school I am currently at discourage going during lessons but it's up to individual teachers to decide on a case by case basis if it is actually an emergency. I have been known to get pupils to stay at break to make up the time if it is happening regularly, that seems quite common at our school, but not for a one-off.

At my last school the toilets were locked during lessons because of vandalism and some 'trading' problems that were going on in the toilets when there was nobody on duty. Pupils would arrange a time to go and meet at the toilets from separate classes and cause chaos, so the rule was that nobody was allowed to go. In an absolute emergency then pupils had to go to the office and be accompanied by one of the admin staff.

It depends on the school but unless there have been serious issues with the use of the toilets during lessons then I wouldn't expect them to be locked during lesson times.