PARENTS of Beamont Collegiate Academy students are in uproar over formal changes to toilet policies at the Orford secondary school.

The school recently announced the formalisation and escalation of a practice the school had already been undertaking, requiring students to have a medical note to be given permission to use the toilets during lesson times.

According to parents of Beamont students, however, this does not extend to students going on their periods.

In the comments section of a Beamont parents group, one mother said about her daughter “I bet the teachers go to the toilet if they need to. Girls and time of the month my daughter comes [home] in agony some days saying they wouldn’t let her go. It’s disgusting.”

Another commented “I got one for my daughter as they wouldn’t let her use the loo having a heavy period. She was so upset when she got home. It’s disgusting, I get the kids who take the mick but it’s a human right to have access to loo.”

A third parent said “It’s an actual disgrace.

“Keep the girls off at the time of the month. Why should they go in? Let the school explain to Ofsted why the female population of the school is so low in attendance numbers!”

The school has a 25-minute lunch break, for students to queue for food, eat it, and three-year groups of 200 each must use the bathrooms.

A parent of a student at the school, Haley Elkin, said: "My daughter sometimes hasn't had time to eat her lunch due to queuing never mind going to the toilet.

“The children are also not allowed to wear jewellery or have their hair down; they will get a detention for this. How is this effecting a pupil’s education?

"I, as well as other parents, understand there needs to be rules but when children don't like going to school because of these ridiculous rules it's not fair.

“The list goes on, but mine and most other parents’ main concern is this toilet pass issue.”

As well as reports from parents that female students are being escorted to the toilets alone by male teachers and sometimes walking in on them, there are CCTV cameras operational in the wash room area of the toilets.

When contacted for comment regarding the potential for students on their period being unable to use the toilets, Beamont Collegiate responded saying: “We encourage all students to use our toilets during their designated break and lunchtimes so that essential lesson time isn’t lost.

"Any students with a medical reason for more frequent visits to the bathroom are provided with a toilet pass.”

When we requested, they expand on the CCTV and issues regarding periods, they again did not respond to the issues surrounding periods but said: “For security and safety CCTV has been in place across our site since the building’s completion in 2016, this includes cameras in bathrooms that cover wash basin areas.”