Request to improve/refurbish the school toilets at our school Information which may be helpful to the Head Teacher, Teachers & School Governors, compiled by Nicola Maybury (parent) December 2013 Special thanks to the bog-standard campaign for all their helpful information
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Request to improve/refurbish the school toilets at our · PDF fileRequest to improve/refurbish the school toilets at our school ... A number of parents and pupils are concerned with
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Request to improve/refurbish the school
toilets at our school
Information which may be helpful to the Head Teacher,
Teachers & School Governors,
compiled by Nicola Maybury (parent) December 2013
Special thanks to the bog-standard campaign for all their helpful information
Outline
A number of parents and pupils are concerned with the condition
of the toilets at Christ Church Junior School. We would be grateful
if the head teacher and school governors would consider a
complete refurbishment of the toilets to make them a safer &
healthier place for all pupils to be. There are numerous benefits to
improving the school toilets, both for staff and pupils. The
following helpful information has been compiled for your
consideration. It would be great if refurbishment could take place
(if possible) before the next academic year, possibly over the
2014 summer holidays.
Thank you for your time.
Benefits to school of renewing the school toilets and keeping them
clean and well maintained:
Save money on water bills because toilets/urinals don’t flush unnecessarily
(including in school holidays!) & taps are automatic so can’t be left on by
mistake
Children are happy to use the toilets, meaning less bladder problems, less
accidental wetting & better concentration in class because they don’t des-
perately need the toilet in class
Less school days lost due to illnesses picked up in the toilets
Toilets are easy to clean because of the good design
Toilets are easier to maintain because they are new
Benefits to pupils of renewing the school toilets and keeping them
clean and well maintained:
Pupils feel happy to use the toilets at the appropriate time
Less illness because toilets are clean & well maintained
Able to concentrate properly in class & learn more because they aren’t des-
perate for the toilet
More incentive to help keep the toilets clean because they are new
Toilets are vital.
They might be the smallest rooms in the school
but they can have one of the biggest impacts
on pupil health, education and happiness.
Other comments:
“You can tell a school by its toilets: they say an awful lot about
a school and tell you about the value the school places on its
environment – and they can help improve pupils’ behaviour.”
Susan Lewis, Chief Inspector for Wales
“Every pupil deserves a good toilet and the chance to use it
when they need to. Schools teach life skills and how to be
responsible. Children and young people should be helped
to become more responsible and given the opportunity to
show that they can be responsible. If we fail to do so, we
are setting up resentment for now and the future.”
Speaker at the World Toilet Summit (held in Belfast 2005)
"School toilets were the first place I would visit. If a
school can’t get the toilets right, it can make you
wonder how much they care about their pupils
and what else is deficient.”
Former Ofsted inspector
"The very fact that some [toilets] are adequate – or even fantastic – proves the
point that there is really no excuse for the nasty school loos I so regularly hear
about. It's just a question of taking responsibility, making it a priority and involving
children and young people.”
The late Peter Clarke, Children’s Commissioner for Wales
Facts and Figures from the Bog-Standard Campaign
A 2011 survey carried out by Netmums and ERIC of parents and children (with and without
existing continence problems) found:
A quarter of all school children avoid using the school toilets as they find them dirty, smelly
and missing soap, toilet paper or even locks on the doors.
Fluid intake was a concern with over half of all parents who took the survey saying they were
concerned that their child didn't drink enough during a school day.
80% of parents who took part said they believed that there should be a legal framework in
place to ensure a good standard of privacy, hygiene and cleanliness is maintained in school
toilets.
An Ipsos Mori survey of 2,154 S1-S6 pupils from 59 schools across Scotland in late 2012
found that:
56% of secondary school pupils in Scotland avoid using school toilets – including one in ten
who ‘never’ use them and 46% who report avoiding using them unless they ‘really have to’
and 10% say they never use their school toilets.
33% rate standards of cleanliness as poor or very poor.
one quarter (24%) report supplies of toilet paper being inadequate, while 37% complain of a
lack of soap, and 30% report a lack of working locks on cubicles.
although around half of pupils who use school toilets report always or usually feeling safe in
them, 16% say they rarely or never feel safe in them, and a similar proportion (15%) that
they only sometimes feel safe.
Among pupils who have to seek permission to go to the toilet during class, only around a
third of pupils say they are always or usually allowed to go, 16% report rarely being allowed
to go, and 2% say their teachers never let them go to the toilet during class.
According to summer 2013 surveys by ERIC of 105 children with continence problems and 1,127
parents of children with these issues revealed that:
Almost half of the children and a fifth of parents believe that poor school toilet facilities
contribute to the continence problem.
The Importance of Good Toilets
Toilets are important. Everybody uses them. Access to decent toilets is a
fundamental human right and necessary for good health and well being.
For children and young people to stay healthy, they need to drink water regularly
throughout the day. They also need to empty their bladder and bowels regularly
and fully when they need to. During term time, time spent at school is the bulk of
any child’s day so how much they drink and how often they go to the toilet are
important. The extension of the school day and breakfast clubs make this even
more critical.
School toilets may languish low on the list of a school’s budget and priorities for
improvement. While school toilets may not be high on teachers’ agendas, the state
of the school toilets is often the most concerning issue for pupils. As a basic
requirement for life, school toilets not only influence health and wellbeing, but also
pupils’ attainment, behaviour, morale, and attendance levels.
Horrible toilets and restricted access mean pupils drink less during the day in order
to avoid going to the toilet. The resulting dehydration can cause constipation,
headaches, fatigue and lack of concentration. When pupils avoid going to the toilet
at school or are told they cannot go to the toilet, they are unable to concentrate
fully in lessons.
Restricting access to the toilet to set times can cause ‘going just in case’ practices
which means the bladder doesn’t get used to holding on until it’s full. Over time,
the bladder capacity can reduce, increasing the need to visit the toilet more
frequently. At the same time, the amount of fluid a child can drink before needing
to go to the toilet is reduced.
Benefits to schools of improving the state of the toilets and trusting
pupils to go to the toilet when they need to (from the Bog-Standard website)
Pupils achieve most at school when both their health and learning needs are met
Going to the toilet when pupils need to is an important way of protecting their health and
wellbeing. This has positive knock-on effects for teachers
Pupils are more receptive to learning when they are not distracted by an uncomfortable
bladder or bowel
Going to the toilet when pupils need to promotes good bladder and bowel practices, which
can help avoid health problems
Pupils are encouraged to drink adequate levels of water before and during school. This results
in fewer headaches and better concentration. Being able to use good quality toilets when they
need to is intrinsically linked to good drinking habits
Pupils are more energetic (constipation and dehydration sap energy)
Stress levels are lowered when pupils have control over responding to their bodily needs
Attendance is improved through improved standards of cleanliness resulting in fewer illnesses
(such as gastroenteritis or flu) and fewer health problems (such as urine infections or
constipation)
A feeling of greater equality and less division of "us and them" results when the environment
is closer to the comforts of adult working environments
This feeling is also created when teachers and pupils work in partnership to improve the
toilets
Develops a school environment for pupils that is humane and conducive to learning
The school environment will be more attractive to existing and prospective staff and pupils
More positive school ethos and atmosphere
More respect from pupils, if pupils feel that teachers care for their health and well being
Being allowed to go to a decent toilet when the need arises results in greater self-esteem
amongst pupils
Pupils feel valued and respected by teachers, which improves their behaviour
Better behaviour is enhanced if pupils feel teachers are willing to trust them (such as by
allowing pupils to decide when they need to go to the toilet)
Parents, visitors, staff and pupils can feel proud of the school when they see improvements in
the toilets
Attractive and hygienic pupils’ toilets project a positive image of the school
Pupils are encouraged to feel ownership of their toilets if involved in their management.
Ofsted now expects schools to demonstrate how they are contributing to the five national
outcomes for children stipulated by Every Child Matters and the Children Act 2004 – being
healthy; staying safe, enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; and economic
well-being. Easy access to clean and well-maintained toilet facilities access can be incorpo-
rated into the first four criteria.
The promotion of easy access to clean and well-maintained toilets is part of a whole school
approach to promoting physical and mental health and provides excellent opportunities to
use a school-approach involving the whole school community. School toilets can be
incorporated into all the Healthy School criteria of:
Personal, social and health education
Healthy eating
Physical activity
Emotional health and well-being (including bullying).
Toilet issues link naturally to the curriculum, and can be discussed in PSHE and Citizenship
classes
Links can be forged with local businesses (by requesting sponsorship, discounted products, or
help with fundraising)
Positive media coverage can be generated by improvements to the school toilets