Latest news with #schooltoilets
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
'Disgusting' loos see pupils trying to skip school - as horrified children say they feel 'like they were stepping into a horror movie'
More than one in ten parents said their children have asked to miss school because the toilets are so disgusting, a survey has suggested. A poll, of 2,000 parents of school-aged children in the UK suggests around one in six (17 per cent) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean. Nearly a third (31 per cent) of families said they have raised concerns about the toilets with school staff, according to a survey for charity Parentkind. One parent told the charity that the toilets were so dirty that their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another parent said their child had seen cockroaches in the school toilets. The Censuswide poll suggests that 11 per cent of parents said their child had missed school, or asked to stay at home, because of worries about the toilets at school. The charity is calling on the Government to prioritise funds to improve 'disgusting' school toilets as part of plans to improve the school estate. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3 billion per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4 billion per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.'
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Parents say children are asking to miss school over ‘horror movie' toilets
More than one in three parents say they have been forced to raise concerns about the toilets at their child's school, a new survey has suggested. The poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children finds that the issues are so widespread that around 10 per cent report that their child has asked to miss school because of their concerns around the facilities. Around one in six (17 per cent) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean, according to the survey for charity Parentkind. One parent reported that their children felt like they were "stepping into a horror movie" when using the toilets, while another mentioned their child had encountered cockroaches in the school facilities. The Censuswide poll also suggests that 11 per cent of parents stated their child had missed school or asked to stay home because of concerns about the toilets. In response to these findings, the charity is urging the Government to prioritise funding for the improvement of what they describe as "disgusting" school toilets, as part of broader plans to enhance the school environment. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3bn per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4bn per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for Government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.'
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Girls STILL forced to share loos with boys despite schools facing 94 complaints
Young girls across Scotland are still being expected to share school toilets with boys – as new figures show that councils have received almost 100 complaints and representations about gender neutral loos in the last three years. Scottish state schools were ordered to provide single sex toilets in a landmark ruling handed down by a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh last month. Yet The Mail on Sunday has found that many of the 32 local authorities are 'considering' the verdict before making changes. That is despite data showing there have been 94 queries raised by youngsters and staff about gender neutral or unisex loos since 2021. SNP-run East Dunbartonshire has received the most criticism. Last night it admitted that 51 'complaints and representations' had been made about their 'inclusive' loo provision. However, a spokesman claimed only two official complaints were lodged with the council directly. Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal said: 'Complaints about this issue are rife. It seems some councils are taking these and recording them while others appear to be brushing them under the carpet. 'It's totally unacceptable for any girl in school to have to share facilities such as toilets and changing areas with boys.' Public bodies across Scotland have had to re-evaluate policies on single sex facilities after last month's UK Supreme Court ruling on gender. However, schools are under particular pressure after parents won a separate legal fight days later over single sex facilities at the new £16.6 million Earlston Primary School in Berwickshire. Lawyer Rosie Walker of Gilson Gray, representing the parents, told the Mail that 'gender-neutral toilets' were not permitted under regulations dating back to 1967. The case, which concerned Scottish Borders Council, has a knock on effect for all local authorities. Judge Lady Ross, KC, said she would issue a court order to make legal obligations on state schools clear after Sean Stratford and Leigh Hurley brought the judicial review over their concerns about transgender policies at the school, where their son was a pupil. The Mail on Sunday asked all councils what progress had been made since the Court of Session ruling on April 23. Of the 19 which responded, only two – Glasgow and East Lothian – had changed signage in some schools. Six councils said they already had single sex provision and the rest declared they were considering the court verdicts. A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'The Education Secretary is engaging with Cosla to carefully consider the implications of the Court of Session ruling.'
