Primary school putting kids "in the naughty corner" if they need the toilet

Sparklyfairy

I have recently learned that my children's primary school (very small village school) is putting children in the naughty corner if they use the toilet outside of break times.

My youngest (6 yrs) is very shy, always wanting to please type of child. She has had 4 accidents over the past 4 school days, which is totally out of character for her. When I collected her on Monday, she was sobbing & I was told that "she probably has a water infection." I got her wee tested at our doctor & it was fine - no infection. When I spoke to other parents in her class, they were horrified when their children starting telling them this week they were put in the naughty corner for going to the loo outside of break times.

I spoke to the head to ask what their policy was on loo issues & she blamed the teachers, the teachers blamed the assistants & I finally said to them I am not happy with this treatment of my children and should it continue I will file a complaint with the council, govenors or Ofsted.

I realise teachers must get annoyed when children always ask to use the toilet, but surely all schools have this issue & there are other ways of dealing with rather than this barbaric method, right?

I was absolutely heartbroken thinking about how my little one must have felt, needing the loo desperately but wouldn't dare ask to go for fear of being a "naughty" child, then wetting herself on several occasions..it made me feel sick. My Yr 4 also confirmed it's started to happen in her class, too.

Other parents are very annoyed, but I'm the only one who has complained directly to the school. Was I right in doing this? I feel most parents are quietly annoyed but avoid confrontation with the school at the detriment of their children..In the school's eyes I'm now the parent with the tarred reputation..but I need to know how others out there would have handled it. Thanks

Gillyx

Terrible! My best friend is a teacher and has told me the constant toilet trips in class disrupt so much teaching time but I can't imagine her ever having a naughty corner for the children if they needed to go. :eek:

What she does is try and remind them all before both break times (they get morning and afternoon) and lunch to go to the toilet during that time. She said the majority of the time it's because they're too busy playing with friends they forget they need it, and it's not until they come back into class and have to concentrate on something they remember they need it, which is understandable at 6 years old.

I would have complained too in your position. All you can do now is wait it out and see, and remind your daughter even if she doesn't feel she needs it, to go to the toilet at break time.

I hope this gets sorted out for you.

Gingham_R

Dear lord. That's abysmal. I would be jumping mad.

They can't all go at break time - they'd all be lining up for the whole 15 minutes. They also have to remember to go before they're ready - not an easy thing at that age.

It IS disruptive, I agree. It's good to try to encourage them to use the loo during breaks. But a reward system might be more appropriate. They might as well bring back the deportment board.

For goodness' sake, what century are we in here?

Curlywurli

That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard of and I've been working in a school for twelve years now. I would have complained too.

Sparklyfairy

Thanks for the responses - it's very reassuring .

If I learn it does happen again, how do I go about filing a complaint? (I've never done this before..) Should it be with govenors 1st, then council then Ofsted?

When I mentioned filing a complaint with the council, the head just laughed at me & said "that will get you nowhere!" =( Really odd woman to say the least!

hayleyc_2

Totally agree, I would be very angry if it was my child. I don't agree with having a 'naughty' corner at the best of times, but to put a child there for asking to go to the loo is rediculous. When I was a child I hated asking to go to the loo, even without a punishment so I'd have been in the same position as your daughter. Poor thing, I hope the teacher/assistants are going to apologise to her. You can be sure they'd expect an apology if a child had done something to them!

kazwookie

I'd start at the top and work your way down if need be.

LEA first
Head of Governors.

hayleyc_2

Sparklyfairy wrote: »

Thanks for the responses - it's very reassuring .

If I learn it does happen again, how do I go about filing a complaint? (I've never done this before..) Should it be with govenors 1st, then council then Ofsted?

When I mentioned filing a complaint with the council, the head just laughed at me & said "that will get you nowhere!" =( Really odd woman to say the least!

Personally I would complain whether it happens again or not. If no-one complains then nothing will change and no-one will think twice before implementing another barmy rule.

Sparklyfairy

I am reminding them much more now that they HAVE to try really hard to remember to use the loo during break times..but yes, it is hard when you're 6 & have the option to either play or go to a smelly loo - I know what I'd rather do!

Sparklyfairy

kazwookie wrote: »

I'd start at the top and work your way down if need be.

LEA first
Head of Governors.

Fab. Thanks!

Nicki

Gingham_R wrote: »

They can't all go at break time - they'd all be lining up for the whole 15 minutes. They also have to remember to go before they're ready - not an easy thing at that age.

If they get 2 breaks and a lunch break though, like GIllyX has said, then they are never more than 90 minutes away from a toilet break. Which is a long time at age 6 if you need to go from the beginning of that time frame (but in that case they should go before going back into class). I'd be surprised if many kids of that age though couldn't last an hour from first faint urge to access to the loo.

The way it was handled in DS's school was that kids were encouraged strongly to go in the breaks, and asked to wait if they could until the next break, but in a genuine emergency would be allowed to go.

Learning an element of control is a skill we all have to learn and why not at school too? You can't up and leave for the loo in the middle of a wedding/funeral, halfway down the motorway, if you are the teacher not the pupil, or in lots of workplace settings, so it does need to be taught like any other skill.

ETA if you are going to complain though it needs to be bottom up, not top down as someone else advised you. LEA will not entertain a complaint unless you have exhausted the school procedure. So if complaint to head got nowhere, you need to complain to chair of governors first, then LEA.