A PETITION has been launched following claims pupils at a Leamington school have only limited access to toilets.
Trinity Catholic School sixth former Niamh Burke said toilets were open for five minutes at the start and finish of break times, and a small block was the only one to remain open for the remainder of breaks.
She claims six cubicles are the only ones available to more than 500 pupils, which she says breaks the UN convention on the rights of the child.
But the school told the Observer while some of the school is closed off throughout breaks, it has three locations where students can access toilets.
The petition – which has some 850 signatures – calls on the school’s interim executive board, which runs the Guy’s Cliffe Avenue school, to open all toilets throughout break times.
Niamh said: “I am shocked by the changes being made in the lower school. There is simply not enough time to queue for the loo, get water and visit your locker before access is denied.
“This isn’t just unreasonable it puts all my fellow students’ welfare at risk and is a breach of the UN Convention.
“There is potential for long term damage to the bladder as well as risk of anxieties of trying to conform to the policy. The risk of ‘accidents’ by children of any age also seems inconsistent with maintaining dignity.
“We want free access to our toilets during break times, give my fellow students back the dignity they are entitled to.”
But a school spokeswoman explained access to some toilets was restricted during breaks for safety reasons.
She told the Observer: “No toilets are locked at any point during the school day. During breaks and lunchtime, pupils have full access to toilets in three locations. This has always been the case.
“While no toilets are locked, it is true to say that pupils do not have unrestricted access to all of the building throughout breaks. This is to ensure their safety so that they can be adequately supervised and is common practice in most schools.”
