School slammed by parents for barricading toilets shut during lesson time

Parents have hit out at a school’s decision to barricade its toilets during lesson times, with one angry mum saying it was ‘against human rights’.

Photos taken at the school show white metal gates installed across the entrance to the toilets, meaning pupils can’t access them during lesson times.

Castle View School in Essex have said the decision was made to ‘tackle bad behaviour’ and has stressed that students can go to the toilet any time of the day but that they will need permission if they want to go during class time.

However, some parents have been left furious by the move with one mum saying: "It is against human rights and is disgusting.

"It is like they are in a prison."

She also claims that the decision means long queues form at break and lunchtimes, resulting in her own child almost being sick in the hallway.

"It is an absolute nightmare,” she said. "My child felt sick at lunchtime and was left to just stand and queue.

"My child nearly had to be sick in the hallway, which is so embarrassing.

“These gates are on all the toilet blocks. I don’t know any other secondary schools that have put an actual physical gate that can be locked.”

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The mum said that parents were not informed about the new gates.

She added: "We haven’t had any letters or emails about it, it is just so wrong.

“They don’t always open all of them at lunch or break either because a teacher has to open them.

“So there are always long queues, and some days my child doesn’t even eat because there isn’t time to queue for food and the toilet.

“My child has anxiety around going to the toilet now, it is so bad.”

Another mum said: "I know that holding a wee can have a health impact as it can overstretch the bladder which can then lead to urine infections. It is surely against human rights. It’s a disgrace completely."

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A 14-year-old pupil who attends the school said: "We are children, we don’t need to be locked up.

"It shows an extreme lack of trust, which is understandable as we are kids, but the level they are going at is getting out of control.

"We understand why it was put in place to stop vaping and because of safeguarding issues.

"But if you want to stop that then put smoke detectors closer and use thermal cameras like other schools are.”

Castle View School headteacher Steve Durkin said: “Pupils are able to access all toilets before school, break times, and after school.

"If a pupil requires access to the toilet during lesson time, they request a pass from their teacher and are allowed access.”