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

thatgirlsam

Thats really sad.

Your daughter should be enjoying school, having fun, learning, not worrying in case she needs the loo!

I got pulled to one side by my son's teacher, she asked did he have any problems with going to the toilet often?

Apparently he been asking to go a lot, I said he is fine at home, on long car journeys etc

So she said she would keep an eye on it and let him know he shouldn't be going out of the classroom so often for the loo

I really appreciated her asking me and she dealt with it in a sensible way - he can go if he needs to but not every 15 minutes!

Sparklyfairy

FloFlo wrote: »

In the OP you said you've had a meeting with the head and they blame the teachers. What exactly did the head say? Did she say it is school policy or it isn't?

She said that the school wants the children to use their break time for their toilet trips. I said that surely there's a better way to enforce this than making the children who go to the loo during class sit in the naughty corner? She was non plussed & just reiterated her stance. She asked if I spoke to the teachers involved (I hadn't at that point) & she said I'm making accusations, I only know 1 side. I saw a teacher & said, "I'll go speak to her now" she held me back saying "Noo!" She said she can't comment what goes on in individual teacher's classroom, their rules are enforced in their classes. I said that should it happen again, I will complain to the council, then she laughed & said "that will get you no where!" She said she's done with the conversation & would speak to the teachers involved & call me later. She left a msg on my voicemail saying that she organised meetings for me with the teachers involved. 1 teacher was fab - very understanding, almost apologetic & said my eldest can use the loo anytime. The other teacher was very defensive, tried to blame my youngest for being a "wet" child - never had an accident at all at school - and was generally frosty - but ultimately said my child will also be allowed to use the loo if she asked. Both teachers did deny knowing about specific events where kids were put in the naughty corner (hard to believe - VERY small school & classes but both teachers assistants confirmed children are put on the naughty corner for asking to use the loo within a certain time from returning from breaks.

Nicki

I know I am in the minority but your last post sparky faerie has confirmed what I strongly suspected was happening, and I still dont find it all that disturbing.

The kids are being told to go to the toilet during their break or lunchtime. If they come back into class and ask within a very short period of time (you've said maximum 20 mins) they clearly have ignored or forgotten this request, and they either wait for the next break or go but are being punished to reinforce that this is the rule. If they ask after a longer period of time, I assume they are asked if they can wait and if not, it is accepted this is an urge which has come on after the break time and they are being allowed to go without punishment.

If there is a rule that you go during break if you can, then how do you reinforce that rule if you allow children out of class 10 minutes after break with no repurcussions? Then you very soon end up with classes being disrupted with half a dozen kids leaving for the loo in any one session.

I can't see how asking a 6 year old to think about whether they need the toilet at break time, and learn to take responsibility for doing so without being reminded, is any different from asking a toddler whether he needs to go before you leave the house, as most of us do as a matter of course.

As for adults using the toilet at will at work, that depends on the job. I've never seen a newsreader interrupt the news for a loo break, a vicar interrupt a church service, a doctor leave a consultation or a barrister leave court. Shop workers aren't usually allowed to leave the shop floor and factory workers can't leave the production line. Bus and train drivers don't park up for a wee.

faerie~spangles

GOBSMACKED is the only way to describe my reaction to the OP

I'd name and shame the school here and in the local paper.

How dare anyone on the public payroll be allowed to publicly humiliate a child in this manner.

It is nothing short of bullying.


gawd, I'm f:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: raging at reading this.

themull1

My daughter who is 12 had just started her first period, when she felt it leaking during class, the teacher wouldnt let her go to the loo, i blasted the headteacher, and they have changed the school policy to allow kids to use the loo during class if necessary. its the same at the end of the day, the kids havent got time to use the loo before the school buses leave which is ridiculous.

Sparklyfairy

mrcow wrote: »

OP - whoever made your child stand in the corner needs to be issuing a full and frank apology in the very least. I wouldn't settle for less. Who was it - the teacher or the teaching assistant? Is this an actual policy the school has adopted?

It is policy. Sad I know. Teaching assistants are the ones doing it, but everyone (teachers/head) are clearly aware it's happening..It's pure torture & really bizarre to think this happens..makes me wonder what else happens during the day when I drop them off

dibuzz

That's awful, 6 year olds easily forget to go at break and some kids are so shy that they won't go if anyone else is in there so after breaks feels "safer". I know because I was one of them.
Luckily my kids' teachers have always been understanding as 3 of them have had waterworks problems and were all given permission
to go whenever they needed to. My youngest was the worst but once I had explained to his teacher that he might not have time to ask and wait for an answer he was allowed to just go as long as he told her as soon as he came back.
Putting children in the naughty corner for needing the loo is wrong

Sparklyfairy

meritaten wrote: »

er - doesnt this violate thier human rights? At one store where I worked (temp thank the lord), they tried to implement the policy that staff were not allowed to leave the shop floor, even for trips to the loo - this was quickly shot down in flames by the Union (USDAW - I think). So if your firm tries to stop you using the loo - they have no right to!
As for putting 6 yr olds in the naughty corner for needing the loo - words fail me! I cannot believe any teacher in their right mind would do so!
at secondary school - teachers would get a bit exasperated with pupils - but I dont remember one person being told they couldnt go! and my school was really tough!
I would write a letter of complaint to the Head teacher in the first instance - and CC it to the chair of Governers and the Head of the LEA - and here in Wales I would copy it to the Childrens Minister in the Assembly!

Totally! I said to my dh, who is equally as mad " What the hell is happening there? It's as if their in Guantanamo Bay!"

faerie~spangles

Nicki wrote: »

As for adults using the toilet at will at work, that depends on the job. I've never seen a newsreader interrupt the news for a loo break, a vicar interrupt a church service, a doctor leave a consultation or a barrister leave court. Shop workers aren't usually allowed to leave the shop floor and factory workers can't leave the production line. Bus and train drivers don't park up for a wee.

That is irrelevant.

The OP's child has been humiliated on four occasions.

For the record I'm an adult and when I need to go, I NEED to go.

Sparklyfairy

Nicki - thing is the kids AREN'T reminded to use the loo before breaks! The head said "it's up to the children to be responsible for themselves." If they were, I could totally understand - and this is where my problem lies...