Parents’ fury as school ‘refuses to let pupils use toilet without permission’ leading to kids ‘not drinking all day’

FURIOUS mums say a Bristol school is refusing to let their kids go to the toilet without special permission - leading to pupils not drinking all day.

Students at King's Oak Academy, Kingswood are reportedly not allowed to go to the loo outside break times unless they have a teacher's note or medical pass.

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And it's claimed youngsters are going without water throughout the school day to avoid trouble with teachers.

Jessica Bowden, whose 12-year-old daughter Eboney is in Year 8, told the pupils get a 20-minute break at 11am and just 35 minutes for their lunch.

"They're going home with full water bottles because they're not drinking.

"Mine comes home dying of thirst and saying, 'Oh, I can have a drink now.'"

Ms Bowden, 42, says she has seen complaints from "50 or 60 parents".

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Ms Bowden claims Eboney and other pupils without toilet passes have been refused a note when they have needed to use the facilities.

She alleges a school office worker told her the note system was enforced after toilets were vandalised by pupils.

"My daughter is not the type of child who says she needs to use the toilet to avoid lessons. Do the teachers need a pass to go to the toilet? I can't get my head round it", the mum added.

LOO-NACY

Another mum said her daughters, who are in Years 8 and 11, have had requests to use the toilet refused.

She said: "This issue has been going on since they've come back in September.

"It was on September 9 that I asked the school for toilet passes for my children.

"My daughter in Year 8 finally got one last week but it will only run until the end of term, which is just two weeks away."

'HEADACHES AND HEATSTROKE'

She says her youngest has returned home with "really bad headaches and heatstroke" because she hasn't been drinking, while Year 11 pupils have been told "they're old enough now to control their bladders".

Katherine Ogden, Principal of King’s Oak Academy, said: ”Toilets are available for students to use throughout the day. Students are encouraged to visit the toilet before school, at breaktime and during lunchtime when all toilet areas are open.

"During lesson times, on the Upper School site, three toilet locations (one all-gender, and two gender separated) are open; students with medical needs have toilet passes to allow them to go at any point.

"Other students, who find need to go to the toilet during lesson time, are permitted to go with a note from their teacher.”

She said a letter was sent to parents and carers on Friday, reminding them of the academy's "policies and procedures regarding leaving classrooms during lessons".