Welsh school introduces toilet chaperones for some lessons, drawing parent and campaigner concern
Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Blaenau Gwent, Wales, began escorting some secondary pupils to the toilet during lessons, citing vandalism and lost learning time. Parents and a period campaigner have criticised it, and the school has narrowed the policy.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, an all-through school in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, Wales, has introduced chaperones for secondary pupils who ask to use the toilet during some lessons. Daily MirrorL “Ebbw Fawr Learning Community is Wales’s first all-through maintained school, teaching children from the age of three through to 16.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ BBC NewsN “Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Blaenau Gwent introduced the chaperones in response to costly vandalism and excessive time spent out of lessons.” Read at BBC News ↗ Mixed · 2The school said the change followed significant damage to the toilet area and excessive time spent there, which it said caused pupils to miss learning. It later said vandalism by a small minority of pupils had cost thousands of pounds in recent months. Daily MirrorL “This is as a result of significant damage which has been caused to the toilet area and excessive time spent in the toilets” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ BBC NewsN “Sadly the vandalism to toilets by a small minority of pupils has resulted in thousands of pounds worth of damages over recent months.” Read at BBC News ↗ Left · 1According to the Daily Mirror, families were told in a letter sent on 4 October. The arrangement applies only to the lesson after break and the lesson after lunch. A member of the pastoral team accompanies the pupil but does not enter the toilets. The school said it has four pastoral managers on site to do this. Daily MirrorL “The changes were revealed to families in a letter sent on October 4”“We have four pastoral managers on site who manage the chaperoning of students to the toilet – they do not go into the toilet area.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗
Left · 1The school said pupils are not banned from using the toilet and are encouraged to go at break and lunchtime. It said teachers can use their judgement in other lessons, and that pupils with documented medical needs have a pass allowing them to leave whenever necessary. Daily MirrorL “has confirmed that youngsters are not being banned from using the toilet”“Any learner with documented medical issues has been issued with a pass and can leave the lesson whenever they need to use the toilet.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Left · 1One parent told the Mirror that a child could have an accident while waiting for a chaperone, and said they did not want anyone chaperoning their child to the toilet. Daily MirrorL “By the time they request and get a chaperone, the child could have had an accident. I don’t want anyone chaperoning my child to the toilet.” Read at Daily Mirror ↗ Centre · 1BBC News reported that parents were first told all secondary pupils asking to go during a lesson would be escorted to the toilet block entrance. After meeting 50 pupil representatives, the school said the policy would apply only to pupils on stage three of its behaviour policy or persistent late attenders. BBC NewsN “Parents were initially told that all secondary-age pupils asking to use the toilet during a lesson would be escorted by a member of the pastoral team to the entrance of the toilet block.”“the policy would only apply to pupils on stage three of the school's behaviour policy or persistent late attenders.” Read at BBC News ↗
Centre · 1Molly Fenton, 24, founder of the Love Your Period campaign, said the policy puts pupils "at risk" and could discourage them from seeking help with periods and other health issues. She said she would probably not have used the toilets if she had needed a chaperone as a pupil. BBC NewsN “said it put students "at risk"”“if I had to have a chaperone come to the toilet with me, I probably would not have gone to the toilet at all” Read at BBC News ↗ Centre · 1The Welsh government said councils set school toilet policies, which must be "accessible to all learners throughout the school day, taking into account pupils' basic needs". BBC NewsN “Councils set a school's toilet policies, the Welsh government said” Read at BBC News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with public anger ("Fury") and parents' worry that children could be left waiting.
- Emphasis
- A parent's quote on accidents and the school's reassurances on medical passes.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the later narrowing to certain pupils, the campaigner's criticism or the Welsh government statement.
- Charged language
- “Fury”“controversial”
- For example
-
“A school has introduced controversial new rules which will see pupils chaperoned to the toilet during certain lessons.” — Daily Mirror
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads with a campaigner's warning that the policy puts pupils at risk, then gives the school's and Welsh government's responses.
- Emphasis
- Health and stigma concerns, the policy's narrowing and the Welsh government's guidance.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the medical-needs pass or the four pastoral managers.
- Charged language
- “at risk”
- For example
-
“could be discouraging them from seeking help for periods and other health issues, a campaigner has warned.” — BBC News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in Blaenau Gwent introduced toilet chaperones for secondary pupils.
- The school cites vandalism and time out of lessons as reasons.
- The lessons affected are those after break and after lunch.
Where accounts differ
-
Who the chaperone rule applies to
- Left
- The Mirror describes it as applying to pupils asking to use the toilet in the two lessons, with exemptions for documented medical needs.
- Centre
- BBC says it was narrowed after meeting pupil representatives to pupils on stage three of the behaviour policy or persistent late attenders.
School toilet chaperones topic
The school says the arrangements address vandalism and lost lessons and are limited in scope. Critics, a parent and a campaigner, say they could cause accidents and deter pupils from seeking help.
“we encourage all learners to use the toilet before these lessons start.” — Daily Mirror
“Fenton warned the policy could bring stigmas about using the toilet in school to "a whole new level".” — BBC News
Left1 article
-
Fury as pupils told they need chaperone to go to toilet during lessons
Critical Presents the policy as controversial and worrying for parents, with the school's explanation included.
Centre1 article
-
School's plan to use toilet chaperones puts pupils at risk, says campaigner
Mixed Centres on health and stigma concerns from a campaigner, with school and Welsh government responses and the policy's narrowing.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 12 Oct 16:43 First Daily MirrorL Fury as pupils told they need chaperone to go to toilet during lessons
- 16 Oct 10:04 +89h 21m BBC NewsN School's plan to use toilet chaperones puts pupils at risk, says campaigner
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…