Why are school children rioting over toilet rule changes? All we know so far

Protests have taken place at schools in Cornwall, Leeds, North Yorkshire, South Essex and Lincolnshire

School students across the country are protesting over changes to the pupils’ use of toilet facilities during class time.

Protests are understood to have taken place at schools in Cornwall, Leeds, North Yorkshire, South Essex and Lincolnshire.

Students at Penrice Academy in Cornwall have allegedly been flipping tables in protest at the new changes which mean that pupils can only use the bathroom outside of lesson time and girls must request red card passes when they are on their period.

The metal gates preventing access to the toilets (SWNS)

One girl has reportedly been injured during the protests. The school said it has made the changes to minimise disruption during classes.

A school in Leeds, West Yorkshire has also seen protests break out over similar rule changes.

Hundreds of pupils are protesting outside The Farnley Academy where toilet doors are locked during lesson times. Only one set of toilets are open for use, where a member of staff stands on guard outside.

Pupils who need to use the toilet must get a written note from teachers in their planners, permitting them to use the facilities and then have to hand that note to the staff member outside the toilet. Once the pupil enters, the member of staff remains outside close to the door, according to parents.

The school said it has made the changes to tackle truancy and “keep all students safe”.

Richmond School in North Yorkshire has reportedly been locked down and riot police are moving in with some students letting off fire extinguishers and kicking down doors. Local reports suggest a tree was set on fire. The Northern Echo said teachers were pushed over and windows were smashed.

The protest was planned by students after the school moved to lock the toilets during lesson time and for a period over break time.

It is claimed a petition was initially proposed but then students decided to go to the lunch hall and refuse to go to lessons.

However, some students are claimed to have left the lunch hall and set off a fire extinguisher.

Students at the Bromfords School and Castle View School in South Essex are also staging protests today over not being allowed to use the toilet facilities during class time.

A parent told the Southend Echo that: “Students were setting off fire alarms and running amok at the school in protest of locked toilets, lack of school lunches and staffing issues.”

Meanwhile, at Haven High Academy in Boston, Lincolnshire, pupils staged a protest yesterday over “prison rules” being enforced, Lincolnshire Live reported.

A number of videos surfaced on TikTok showing a large number of students gathering on Haven High’s school field on Thursday, February 23. A parent claimed that the school is locking toilet blocks and corridors and that children are not being allowed to use the toilet during lessons.

The protests are part of a trend hitting schools across the country, and are being organised on social media.

The National Education Union (NEU) website states that: “Suitable’ toilet and washing facilities must be provided for the sole use of pupils.

“All schools must have separate washrooms for male and female pupils aged eight and over, except where the toilet facility is provided in a room what can be secured from the inside and is intended for use by one pupil at a time.

However, there is no guidance about when pupils should be allowed to use the toilet.

In March 2022, between 150 to 200 students at the City and Islington College in north London staged a walkout in protest against ‘stop and search’ security checks.