PARENTS have expressed concern after pupils at an Andover school have been stopped from using the toilet during lesson times as part of new rules to crackdown on vaping and bullying.
A number of parents of children who attend the Winton Community Academy (pictured), in London Road, said that the school is only letting children use the toilets during break times - meaning long queues during breaks due to the high demands.
The new rules came in at the start of the academic year - brought in by the school in a bid to prevent pupils vaping, stop bullying and also to reduce disruption to learning.
Parent Kayleigh Gilbert, spoke to the Advertiser about the issue, which she said has been ongoing since September.
Ms Gilbert’s son and step-son, both 11, attend the school. She said: “I have gone through so many emotions and I was just really angry and upset that my kids are not being allowed to do a natural thing. You are told that you shouldn’t hold your wee in so it is really dangerous.”
Ms Gilbert said she has approached the school about the issue but was told that students can only use the toilet during break times “to stop others vaping”.
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“Why should my children suffer just because of some other kids wanted to vape,” Ms Gilbert added.
The 32-year-old has since applied for a toilet pass for her son who has autism.
Rebecca Ewen, 37, whose daughter, who has disabilities, attends the school, shared a similar view.
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She said that things got so bad that she had taken her daughter out of the school.
The mother has two children, aged 13 and 15, said she also asked for a toilet pass.
She said: “It makes me feel extremely frustrated and angry because you just feel completely powerless because no matter how hard you try and tell the school they just do not seem to listen.
“It is just mortifying that my daughter would have to stand up and argue with the teachers about going to the toilet. Imagine as a young girl having to stand up in front of your class and talk about your period."
Another mother-of-two, who did not want to be named, whose daughter also attends the school said the situation is 'particularly hard' for young girls who are starting their period.
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Nadejda Kurnosov, whose 13-year-old daughter attends the school, said that the situation has got so bad that her daughter has stopped drinking at school.
The 34-year-old mother of two said: “It makes me feel very sad and I have tried to contact the school and all they say is they are going to sort it.
“My daughter has got to the point where she doesn’t want to drink anything, and she comes out of school desperate to have a drink."
The school has challenged the mothers' concerns, telling the Advertiser that children with medical needs are given a pass if they need to use the toilet in lesson time, while all students are able to go in they are in desperate need or on their period.
They also said that students are allowed to use the toilets between lessons.
A spokesperson for Winton said: "To be clear, students are not stopped from using the toilet between lessons, before school, or after school. We do have to monitor bathrooms unfortunately, due to the need to protect students from exposure to vaping.
"Also, historically toilets in schools were places where bullying might take place, so we monitor the facilities to ensure everyone's safety and wellbeing.
"Like most secondary schools across the country, we ask students to use the toilets before and after lessons to prevent disruption to their learning.
"If a child has a medical need that means they need to go in lesson time as well, they are given a pass to avoid embarrassment. Any child with an emergency - either desperate for the loo, or period related - is allowed to leave class and go to the toilet.
"Having listened to families' concerns, we have monitored any queuing times to use the bathroom during break times and at no time has a student had to wait longer than 30 seconds to a minute. Looking ahead, we will have additional toilets in our new building which will open in the summer.”
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