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Metro
14-06-2025
- Health
- Metro
Children asking to miss school or wetting themselves over 'horror movie' toilets
More than one in 10 parents say their children have asked to miss school because of the poor state of the toilets, new figures suggest. A new poll by charity Parentkind found almost a third of parents have raised concerns about school toilets to staff, while about one in six say the loos at their child's school are unclean. One parent said the toilets were so dirty their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another said their child had spotted cockroaches in the toilets. The Censuswide poll of 2,000 parents to school-age children found 11% of parents said their children had missed school or asked to stay at home because of worries about the school loos. They added some children had either wet themselves in school or suffered constipation while trying to avoid using the toilets. Earlier this week Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced schools will receive about £2.3billion per year to fix 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4billion a year to rebuild 500 schools. In response, the chief executive of Parentkind called on the government to use some of those funds to make school loos 'fit for use'. Jason Elsom said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) says it's 'dismayed' at the research findings, and said 'years of government underfunding' may in part explain why parents feel this way about school bathrooms. Pepe Di'lasio, general secretary of the ASCL, added: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance. More Trending 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We're investing in excellence everywhere for every child, which is why this government is dedicated to fixing the foundations by rebuilding crumbling school buildings. 'Despite inheriting a schools estate in disrepair, the government is creating safe learning environments through condition funding and ramping up the School Rebuilding Programme to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. 'We have increased overall capital budgets by over a billion pounds a year on average, the highest since 2010, showing this government's strong and unwavering commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Mums 'in love triangle' fought in school playground in front of children MORE: I've been revising for my son's GCSEs – I'm more stressed than him MORE: Free school meals to be extended to 500,000 chilldren across the country
Powys County Times
14-06-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
One in 10 parents say children ask to miss school over concerns about toilets
More than one in 10 parents said their children have asked to miss school because of concerns about school toilets, a survey has suggested. A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children in the UK suggests around one in six (17%) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean. Nearly a third (31%) of families said they have raised concerns about the toilets with school staff, according to a survey for charity Parentkind. One parent told the charity that the toilets were so dirty that their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another parent said their child had seen cockroaches in the school toilets. The Censuswide poll suggests that 11% of parents said their child had missed school, or asked to stay at home, because of worries about the toilets at school. The charity is calling on the Government to prioritise funds to improve 'disgusting' school toilets as part of plans to improve the school estate. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3 billion per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4 billion per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for Government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We're investing in excellence everywhere for every child, which is why this government is dedicated to fixing the foundations by rebuilding crumbling school buildings. 'Despite inheriting a schools estate in disrepair, the government is creating safe learning environments through condition funding and ramping up the School Rebuilding Programme to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. 'We have increased overall capital budgets by over a billion pounds a year on average, the highest since 2010 – showing this government's strong and unwavering commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.'
Leader Live
14-06-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
One in 10 parents say children ask to miss school over concerns about toilets
A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children in the UK suggests around one in six (17%) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean. Nearly a third (31%) of families said they have raised concerns about the toilets with school staff, according to a survey for charity Parentkind. One parent told the charity that the toilets were so dirty that their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another parent said their child had seen cockroaches in the school toilets. The Censuswide poll suggests that 11% of parents said their child had missed school, or asked to stay at home, because of worries about the toilets at school. The charity is calling on the Government to prioritise funds to improve 'disgusting' school toilets as part of plans to improve the school estate. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3 billion per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4 billion per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for Government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We're investing in excellence everywhere for every child, which is why this government is dedicated to fixing the foundations by rebuilding crumbling school buildings. 'Despite inheriting a schools estate in disrepair, the government is creating safe learning environments through condition funding and ramping up the School Rebuilding Programme to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. 'We have increased overall capital budgets by over a billion pounds a year on average, the highest since 2010 – showing this government's strong and unwavering commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.'
Rhyl Journal
14-06-2025
- Health
- Rhyl Journal
One in 10 parents say children ask to miss school over concerns about toilets
A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children in the UK suggests around one in six (17%) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean. Nearly a third (31%) of families said they have raised concerns about the toilets with school staff, according to a survey for charity Parentkind. One parent told the charity that the toilets were so dirty that their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another parent said their child had seen cockroaches in the school toilets. The Censuswide poll suggests that 11% of parents said their child had missed school, or asked to stay at home, because of worries about the toilets at school. The charity is calling on the Government to prioritise funds to improve 'disgusting' school toilets as part of plans to improve the school estate. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3 billion per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4 billion per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for Government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We're investing in excellence everywhere for every child, which is why this government is dedicated to fixing the foundations by rebuilding crumbling school buildings. 'Despite inheriting a schools estate in disrepair, the government is creating safe learning environments through condition funding and ramping up the School Rebuilding Programme to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. 'We have increased overall capital budgets by over a billion pounds a year on average, the highest since 2010 – showing this government's strong and unwavering commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.'
Glasgow Times
14-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
One in 10 parents say children ask to miss school over concerns about toilets
A poll of 2,000 parents of school-aged children in the UK suggests around one in six (17%) parents rated the toilets at their child's school as unclean. Nearly a third (31%) of families said they have raised concerns about the toilets with school staff, according to a survey for charity Parentkind. One parent told the charity that the toilets were so dirty that their children 'felt like they were stepping into a horror movie', while another parent said their child had seen cockroaches in the school toilets. The Censuswide poll suggests that 11% of parents said their child had missed school, or asked to stay at home, because of worries about the toilets at school. The charity is calling on the Government to prioritise funds to improve 'disgusting' school toilets as part of plans to improve the school estate. It comes after the Chancellor announced around £2.3 billion per year for fixing 'crumbling classrooms' and £2.4 billion per year to rebuild 500 schools. Some surveyed parents suggested their children had wet themselves at school, or suffered constipation, because of avoiding the toilets at their school. Jason Elsom, chief executive of Parentkind, called for Government funds set out in the spending review to be used to make school toilets 'fit for use'. He said: 'With a million children facing humiliation because of the disgusting state of school toilets, we need to shine a light on the health and well-being of our children who are refusing to drink during the day to avoid going to the toilet and the millions of children suffering constipation because their school toilets are so dirty. 'Parents tell us that we need to set aside the cash to clean and upgrade school loos. 'Parents tell us their children have seen 'cockroaches coming out of the floors' and toilets 'covered in poo and urine'.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools understand the vital importance of toilets being clean and in good order, work hard to ensure this is the case, and will be dismayed at the findings of this research. 'Many schools are struggling with old and outdated buildings which require a great deal of maintenance because of years of government underfunding, and this may play a role in the perceptions reflected by respondents. 'We urgently need improved investment in upgrading and modernising school buildings.' A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We're investing in excellence everywhere for every child, which is why this government is dedicated to fixing the foundations by rebuilding crumbling school buildings. 'Despite inheriting a schools estate in disrepair, the government is creating safe learning environments through condition funding and ramping up the School Rebuilding Programme to give children growing up in our country the best start in life. 'We have increased overall capital budgets by over a billion pounds a year on average, the highest since 2010 – showing this government's strong and unwavering commitment to the maintenance and renewal of the education estate.'
