The installation of unisex toilet facilities at Upton Junior School in Broadstairs has divided parent opinion with some saying they feel it is unsafe for their children while others highlight similar loos – self-contained with full height doors – are used in many secondary schools.
Some parents say they are upset that there was a lack of consultation and they only became aware of the change after works had started.
One mum told The Isle of Thanet News: “We have recently found out that (Upton) have put in unisex toilets, yet we were not consulted as parents, this information has come from kids and was confirmed to us.
“I am appalled that they (didn’t) have the decency to inform us of this.
“A few of us parents have spoken, it is sad that some of the children are frightened to go to toilet now as they are frightened they will be walked in on, as not all children want to lock the toilets.”
The parent said she and others feel the school should apologise for not letting parents know about the plans before work started.
Another parent said: “The hand basins look like urinals and my son and other boys have been peeing in them as the girls have come in to use the toilet.
“This is all totally unacceptable.”
However, other parents say that as the cubicles are designated, with signs for boys, girls or unisex, and each is self-contained, so it is only the sink area being shared.
‘Privacy paramount’
Upton school says the unisex amenities were fully discussed and approved by the Department for Education and fall within strict provision guidelines.
Joanna Brand, Viking Academy Trust safeguarding lead, and Robin Curtis chair of governors at Upton Junior School, said they believe the new facilities are a welcome addition to the school.
They said: “The new washrooms are bright, open, hygienic and safe spaces. Personal privacy was paramount and was thoroughly evaluated and discussed throughout the project.
“The cubicles are self-contained; full height doors with minimal gap top and bottom to maintain the ventilation are individually lockable to ensure privacy.
“Our school washrooms are all monitored effectively by informal supervision by staff without compromising privacy – universal washrooms promote our ethos of equality and inclusivity.”
The new washrooms were opened on Monday (January 12) as part of an upgrading of the facilities across the school. The first phase of the unisex amenities became operational this week, with more to open across the Upton site by Easter.
Signage installed on cubicle doors clearly designates boys, girls, unisex and accessible separate single occupancy toilets.
The school says the shared wash area is open, visible, and easily supervised, supporting both safeguarding and behaviour management.
‘First class’
Head of School Darci Arthur said: “At Upton we ensure that we have the latest facilities for our children wherever possible. The new washrooms are bright and colourful and offer first class hygienic and private amenities for all pupils.”
The work is being completed as part of the Department for Education’s Condition Improvement Funding (CiF). The Viking Academy Trust says it appointed Academy Estate Consultants (AEC) to lead the works and ensure necessary regulations are adhered to.
Senior leaders from Viking Academy Trust and Upton Junior School say they are aware the design of the new toilet block has raised concerns from “a small number of parents” who have contacted school leaders to seek assurance that the new design meets regulations for primary school aged children.
A communication with all families and carers sent yesterday, said: “Please be assured that safeguarding and pupil welfare considerations were paramount at every stage of the design process.”
The school stressed that the facilities “provide appropriate privacy and separation for pupils aged 8 and over.”
So. We now all know the voting preferences and politics of every one of the named individuals applauding this development. It’s precisely what The Fabians have been working towards for 140 years. Not dissimilar to The Party schools of the U.S.S.R. and China. The insidious State assumption of parental roles – toilet training, breakfast provision, etc. – designed to standardise obedient generations to be directed by Technocrats commissars. The utter destruction of individualism.
So sad.
It sounds pretty good to me. After all, toilets at home are used by both sexes. I think Harry Webb’s comment is paranoid nonsense.
But not at the same time
Urinals are quicker. I too would be using the “sinks” if I was a little herbert.
In which case m.m rees let’s see you share a block of unisex cubicles, not one toilet.
See how comfortable you feel then!
She’d soon start moaning then.
If the loos are in cubicles I don’t see why there should be a problem.
A quick Google reveals that you’ve worked in schools. What makes you believe this is OK?
Please make all the toilets unisex in Thanet as m.m.rees is obviously desperate to use them!
A bit weird that.
I worked in a secondary school which had the main toilet facilities converted to unisex toilets about 10 years ago. After a while, it become apparent that the girls were not using them and instead opting to use smaller facilities attached to remote classrooms. After about 5 years the main toilets were returned to separate sex with a smaller unisex facility which anyone could use although primarily to suit the needs of children who do not identify as their birth gender. This turned out to be a far better option. So it would appear that Harry is not the only one who is paranoid.
What on Earth have the Fabuans and the USSR got to do with school toilets in Thanet?
As one of the “small number of parents” who have contacted school leaders I can confirm that it was not to seek assurance that the new design meets regulations for primary school aged children but to complain about lack of communication, lack of signage(the signs for girls boys and unisex were put in retrospectively) and lack of education for the children to learn to use the toilets respectively and safely.
There has been no explanation in real terms for making the toilets a shared space and I find it wholly unacceptable that my daughter is having to share what should be a private space with those of the opposite sex at this age. It’s completely uncalled for.
Very fair comment.
Perhaps someone could persuade Peter Checkfield to stop making his puerile comments.
Very unfair comment.
As an Upton parent I totally agree with you, they don’t listen because they don’t want to.
Judging by my WhatsApp school group it definitely wasn’t a small amount complaining.
R–Don’t be concerned, , R, I can assure you that I am not at all desperate to use unisex or non-unisex toilets in Thanet at present.
Yet you defend their use for vulnerable children?
It seems to me more than a few parents. I think what we are annoyed with is that the fact we were not consulted and that is not fair! I can understand the boys are using it as urinals, I shows male
Colleagues and they said they look like urinals not sinks! Next time Upton want money I shall say no! If that is what they come with! Hope the teachers share toilets!
I think us parents should make a stand and say no more! Don’t do the year 5 isle wight stay over trip or the year 6 activity week,. boycott both if parents have any sense.
How can we trust a school that keeps things away from parents and likes to Keep secrets about our childrens welfare!
I would hope a lot of comments that we know have been sent by angry and upset parents, will be posted?.we are all aware of posts sent in that have not appeared Kathy.
People need to know just how strongly we parents feel.
As I have said to another commentator, first time commentators go into moderation, other comments are not held in a moderation queue. Lots of parent concerns have been published but those that make specific allegations, particularly that relate to individuals, that have not been researched/verified cannot be published because of libel rules.
I remember they did the same thing with the swimming pool .
Asked parents to contribute, Fundraiser to get it back open , sold picture tiles which were put on wall in the pool for them to go and hand it over to another company a couple of months after reopening it .
My father in law gave £500 for that contribution.
Then as my 2 children left B4 the pool reopened as went to secondary school they were told they would be invited back to use the pool but that never happened either.
Upton used to be the best primary in Thanet but they have lost so many of the good teachers they had , the school has gone down hill .
They only lost the good teachers that they had due the head getting rid of them.we still see ex teachers, who don’t speak very highly of the school management.
Very high turn over of teachers at the school.
That seems to be an extremely insensitive thing to do to make children entering puberty share a single sex toilet area, even if there are cubicles. Am amazed that teaching administration and board of governors would entertain such a potentially damaging move and not realise the many potential issues and anxiety and worry it could create for the children. Seemingly no thought for the welfare of their school here.
Democrat’s mention of ‘children entering puberty’ reminded me that the Girl’s toilets have long been somewhere where young girls support each when their periods start / during periods. Not so easy to ask another girl if she has a sanitary pad in Unisex toilets.
The head of the school doesn’t care about anything
They only hear what they want to and do the things they want .
One thing is for sure my daughter won’t be sending her child to Upton .
Bring back MR Walker & Miss P Adams and things would change
What on earth are they thinking? Not consulting parents prior to such a decision being made-lack of safeguarding at the school is extremely concerning. Seems as though no lessons have been learned from the safeguarding incident that occurred 2 years ago
I agree Mr walker knew all the children’s names in the school and when you bumped into him in a shop he would ask how are you all.
Miss p Adams was thrown under a bus
Our child’s trousers were a bit short and we told the school that we were buying new at end of week.
We know of at least a dozen people the school has needlessly done this to for other reasons.yet safe guarding is not observed by the school at any time.
I am not opposed to unisex toilets in general, but I am concerned with the way Upton implemented this change. A sensible rollout would have involved informing the parents of students that this change was coming, and allowing us the opportunity to review and discuss safeguarding procedures in advance to ensure our children are kept safe. Had this happened, perhaps someone would have suggested that the children be shown the new bathrooms before their first use, with an explanation that the sinks are not urinals, and how to operate the soap dispensers on the sinks (something neither my son nor daughter were shown how to do).
The rollout that occurred instead involved my daughter seeing her male classmates exposed as they urinated into the sink she was then expected to wash her hands in without knowing how to get soap. If the unisex toilets are being monitored as a safe unisex space, why didn’t an adult step in and prevent the boys from urinating into the sink? If they are not being monitored, how can the school claim they are a safe unisex space. The planning and communication on Upton’s part has been unacceptable.
I read that it is mandatory LAW to provide separate toilets for boys and girls aged 8 and over…..therefore this school is breaking the law.
Donna, do you have a link to where it says this? I’m not doubting you, but would like to see it myself.
Independent schools and academies are required to comply with Regulation 23 The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which states the following:
Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that-
suitable toilet and washing facilities are provided for the sole use of pupils;
separate toilet facilities for boys and girls aged 8 years or over are provided except where the toilet facility is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and that is intended for use by one pupil at a time; and
suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.
Maybe concerned parents should get together and threaten legal action? Looks like they may have grounds to do so.
I think we should Peter about most things about the school.
I’m not being funny but this is an outrageous idea. If they were individual toilets, sure. All it takes is one lad to stand on top of the cubicles, to look at a girl or vice versa. Then for that to spread and fear people from using toilets. Also, it actually makes it more difficult to pin down bad behaviour in these toilets, since if there’s mess/destruction or whatever. Now the whole school is to blame. Nice one Upton 👍
Actually just before Christmas we received an email from the school after our son had informed us,about a fire in the toilet, fire engine and ambulance came.
Was this the contractors installing the unisex toilets??
An email has now been sent out by the school
Apologizing for the missed opportunities to informing the parents as to what was going on.
What!!! Missed opportunities?
Come on, you either tell parents the truth or you try to hide things from parents, which is what the school did.
No amount of grovelling by the school will ever be enough for us parents to trust them ever again.
Apparently a wall will be put in to segregate the boys from the girls.
Not sure how they’ll put a wall in with those circular sinks in the middle.
Just wait for the trouble that this will cause, one of my daughters was first sexually touched by a male pupil at the age of 11 which is more common than people think.
The Sexual harassment/assault of girls in schools is common, their safe spaces should be protected at all costs.
My youngest son went to Upton during the 1990’s, when it was head and shoulders above every other primary in the area. It is truly sad to hear from younger generations of parents how it has slid into the Socialist swamp think. As a parent of sons I would not want them to have to use such facilities, for fear that they might be accused of something. As a parent of girls I am horrified that any female teacher considers such facilities appropriate.
As for Ms Rees’ toeing the party line attitude… She should ask people who lived under Communism what it was actually like. I am not “paranoid”. I just have eyes with which to see. All the way back to Forster’s Education Act.
Harry Webb-What do you mean by “toeing the party line attitude”?
Gawd.
Political Correctness is a phrase first introduced to the world by Lenin post-1917. To describe speech and action in line with The Communist Party’s wishes. Toeing the party line.
Read a little Solzhenitsyn, Chang or Van Fleet to find out how Socialism always turns out.