Toilets

Children’s use of the toilets during the school day

Aims

Children should feel comfortable and confident in their access to toilets.
To minimise accidents.
Teaching time and class concentration is interrupted as little as possible.
Children with documented medical needs, whether temporary or longer standing e.g.. a disability, have appropriate access to toilets without the need to disturb the learning of others.

Process

Children are reminded to visit the toilet before school, during break and during lunchtime.
Because adults expect children to use the toilets at this time and remind them, they discourage pupils from leaving the class within a short time after such breaks.
Children are expected to ask the teacher if they need to go to the toilet between these times. On almost every occasion they will be given permission to do so, although they will be reminded of the need to make use of break times. Adults may ask the child to wait, if possible, until the class teaching component has finished.
In Year 1 the approach begins flexibly, but as children mature they are expected to learn to organise their toilet visits around break times, without reminder.
Where children appear to use toilet visits to avoid work, or provide distractions, class teachers may differentiate these procedures to maintain a high quality of teaching and learning.
Where children visit the toilet particularly frequently, parents may be approached to discuss whether there is a medical problem that needs to be identified and supported.
A few children with known medical conditions (or temporary problems) are given permission to use the toilet whenever necessary. This will be agreed between the SENCO, teacher, parents and pupil.
The Intimate Care Policy needs to be used with children who need help with toileting.

Use of the toilet before and after school

We do not have toilets that are easily accessible from the school playground before or after school. In order to follow safeguarding procedures, no parent or relative can be allowed access to the school building unaccompanied unless they have full DBS clearance - even if it is just to use the bathroom. Whilst we aim to be as accommodating as possible it is not always feasible for a member of the admin team to accompany parents to the bathroom during the working day – especially if that means leaving the school office unattended.