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School Rules? To Go Or Not To Go

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boy running in the hallway

We all know how school rules are there for pupils’ safety, but are these rules getting out of hand?

A school in Wiltshire has a rule where their students can’t go to the toilets during lessons. The rooms are locked during lessons so only people with medical issues/passes can go. Anita Ellis (a teacher at this school in Wiltshire) explained that when pupils leave the room, “Learning does stop and so it is massively disruptive.” Ms. Ellis also stated that, “If you can imagine a class of 30, every student after a few minutes asks to go to the toilet then learning is stagnating.” However, this rule doesn’t apply to at lunch and break time and before and after school. 

Bowel and bladder charity ERIC has called for the government to look again at how students can access the toilets. The Department for Education has said that all schools, “should have arrangements in place to allow students to use toilet facilities when they need it.”

Other schools have different rules that are a concern for students health, example being, always having to keep blazers on, no matter the temperature, it could 30 degrees outside and you would still have to keep your blazer on, some schools don’t even have changing rooms, meaning girls would have to come in their P.E. kit and stay in it all day, so if you had P.E. first, you would be in your hot sweaty kit all day. Another rule, which applies in most schools, is having to have your skirt longer or on your knees no higher, and even if you only roll it up once just so it’s sitting slightly above your knee, it is instant detention.

What rules do you have in your school?

Poppy Yr7

Boston High School Newsroom

75 thoughts on “School Rules? To Go Or Not To Go”

    1. schools should bring in a summer uniform plan, students should be allowed to take off their blazer, definitely with the weather as hot as it has been getting.

  4. I think students should have to right to go to the toilet, no matter if the have special needs or not. I also think the school should make rules that help with the students’ comfort to help them concentrate more on learning, I think that should be the main priorities of schools

  6. thats actually disgusting like that has NOTHING to do with safety, these school rules are getting out of hand and really annoying.

  8. This is ridiculous. The basic human right of going to the toilet has now gone the fact that people who do not have medical problems now are not allowed to go to the toilet. People in these schools are basically saying that we have to get a fake diagnosis just to go to the toilet. It is disgusting

  14. Students should be allowed to go to the toilet in lesson. I understand that the first time the teachers say ‘can you wait?’ but the next time we should be able to go. Once again we should be allowed to go to the toilet.

  18. I think every one should be able to go to the toilet, no matter if they have special needs or not. I also think that school rules should make the students more comfortable so they can learn easier in a better environment.

  19. If you need to go to the toilet, you should be able to go. This is very inspiring. Keep up the amazing work Poppy x

  20. It’s important to have school rules, but if they’re stupid rules then kids still start ignoring all of the rules do it will be counter-productive

  21. Surely it’s law that schools have changing rooms, that’s ridiculous that you can’t change into fresh clothes after a PE lesson. And it makes uniform harder to check for teachers.

  23. going to the toilet is a basic human need, schools shouldn’t be allowed to stop this!

  24. not having a changing room in a school is vile, walking around in sweaty clothes all day??

  25. Schools should be encouraging students to make decisions independently so things like taking a blazer off is a stupid thing to have a rule about.

  26. I agree that there should be an agreed minimum length for school skirts, but knee length is too extreme. Make it more realistic and perhaps kids will stick to it!

  27. School’s need rules, but they need to be realistic otherwise it’s impossible to police.

  28. How on earth does a school get away with not having changing rooms? If you have p.e. lessons then you should have changing rooms. Surely there is some law that says that!

  29. Some schools don’t even have bathroom doors going into the toilets, this is simply just an infringement on student privacy.

  32. Bloody hilarious title, i think schools needs to relax there rules on using toilets, if you need to go, you need to go.

  33. What a wonderful article. I agree that students should be allowed to go to the toilet during lessons. Maybe the teachers could make a note on the register or something so an action could be made if a particular student was going too often. It might highlight an issue with a student on medical grounds too.

  35. Amazing points made, i agree, schools shouldn’t be allowed to control when pupils can go to the toilet

  37. How on earth do they get away with not having changing rooms? If there are P.E. lessons then there must be changing rooms! Surely there us a law somewhere that states that.

  40. Rules are all well and good when they make things better for everyone – not being allowed to use a toilet when you need to isn’t good for the students

  41. It is basic hygiene to be allowed to change after exercise – surely this isn’t allowed?

  42. Wow, this article really shows what some schools put their students through. I think it is wrong to stop students going to the toilet, it is just something everyone has to go through.

  44. Some interesting school rules there. I can see both sides to the issue here as a parent and a teacher.

  45. And your period? I recently had to sneak to the loo during an event that I was only for an hour to go and sort an unruly tampon situation. We cannot prevent leakage or control flow!
    That aside, what about diarrhoea? Can you imagine the stigma if you accidentally had diarrhoea, because you weren’t allowed out of the class or you had to tell everyone why you had to leave?! Girls and boys, ladies, and gentlemen should never be denied access to any toilet facilities!

  47. A very informative and thoughtful piece. Makes you consider what is a fair and acceptable practice for all. Keep highlighting these issues Poppy.

  48. Well said Poppy. Hope this article makes people take notice of the genuine concerns of the vast majority of the well-intentioned pupils who go to your school.

  49. As a Health visitor and frequently referring families to ERIC as resource for toileting; I feel locking toilets during lesson time is taking away a basic human right.
    This is a great article and raises awareness of something that is far more complex.

  50. Just been reading up about changing rooms Poppy. On the Government website , the Department for Education clearly states in ‘Advice on standards for school premises’ “4) Suitable changing accommodation and showers must be provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education”
    Note the word ‘must’ in there !
    This might be something you could take up with your school.

  52. Well thought I presume the High school STILL does not have changing rooms

  64. I know many things have changed over the years as far as schools are concerned…but have toilet habits changed that much…I can’t remember such issues arising at Rock Ferry High School from 1957 – 1964 !! Toilet breaks are required..

  65. A rule to restrict access to toilets during classes is reasonable in my view, and has been around since I was at primary school (and that is a very long time ago). As is pointed out, allowing students unlimited access to toilets during class is very disruptive for the teacher and the other students. Of course there must be reasonable exceptions.
    Forcing students to keep their blazers on during heat is cruel and unnecessary and pretty stupid. Not having access to a changing room borders on criminal!
    I am so glad to see that your school values good English and punctuation.
    Keith, Sliema, Malta

  66. School rules have always been a complicated issue. However denying some toilet access is just plain ridiculous. I also read recently about a school who insisted that the boys wore long trousers whilst the girls could wear skirts. They had no latitude for hot summer days.
    Some common sense is called for.

  67. Isn’t the school skirt length and wearing PE kit to school rule condradictory? So it’s okay to wear a PE skort to school which bearly covers your bum, but on other days you have to wear a skirt that is knee length?

  68. If school rules are confusing or seen to be pointless then kids won’t follow them. Also consistency is key. If one student can get away with something that others can’t then the rule is pointless. Also length of skirt differs depending on the wearer. A 24 inch skirt on one student will look very different on one student compared to another.

  69. The rule about wearing PE kit all day would put me off putting full effort into PE lessons. I don’t want to wear sweaty kit all day! Ewwww!

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