Students at Samuel Whitbread Academy in Clifton staged a protest on Friday against the school's toilets being locked during lesson time.

A parent of a pupil explained to the Comet that the secondary school "has taken to locking the toilets during lessons over the last year, claiming to prevent truancy and vaping".

However, she said: "This practice has now become ridiculous, as children with toilet cards - for any sort of incontinence issues - and teenage girls on their periods are having to travel around the school in search of toilets.

READ MORE

"To make it worse, after locking them, they are often forgotten about and then not unlocked at break and lunch.

"Children are missing lunch because they are spending their lunch break searching for a loo."

On Friday, pupils at schools across the country protested against the locking of school toilets during lesson time, and Samuel Whitbread Academy pupils joined the national student movement.

"A large number of students [at Samuel Whitbread Academy] tried to stage a protest about the unacceptable practise of locking the toilets, but were threatened with detentions, isolations and exclusions if they did not go back to lessons," explained the concerned parent who contacted the Comet.

"I feel they have a valid complaint and these kids deserve a voice."

READ MORE

Nick Martin, principal of Samuel Whitbread Academy, said: "The school ensures there is always at least one set of toilets open in every block for students to use at all times. The only times toilets are locked are when they are out of action due to routine maintenance or repair.

"We are aware of similar demonstrations organised nationally via social media and, while we welcome the raising of any issues that are of importance to students, we always encourage them to do this directly with us via our already-established channels, so we can address these issues collaboratively.

"We have an active student council and, as principal, I have an open-door policy and am willing to talk to anyone about any concerns students or parents may have.”

A spokesperson for Eric the Children's Bowel and Bladder Charity said: "Banning toilet breaks shows a lack of understanding of pupils' health needs and a lack of respect for children."