Spilsby school criticised over strict rules and toilet access during menstruation

King Edward VI Academy's rules about toilet access have been criticised

Parents have criticised a school for its strict rules, raising concerns about toilet access for girls on their period.

Concerns were raised last year about the use of isolation at King Edward VI Academy (KEVI) in Spilsby.

One parent now says a toilet ban during lessons meant that her daughter "leaked through" to her clothes.

A spokesperson for the school, recently rated "good" by Ofsted, said pupils can use the toilet during their period.

Sarah, who has two daughters at the school, told the BBC there had been several occasions when her daughters had not been allowed to go to the toilet to change when they had their period.

"There don't seem to be any protocols in place for young ladies who have that time of the month," she said.

"Just last week my younger daughter was left to leak through to her clothes because she asked to go to the toilet multiple times and she was told 'no'.

"It wasn't until the end of the class that she was allowed to leave a bit early. But it was already too late by then," she said.

Sarah said her younger daughter was left to leak through to her clothes

On another occasion, she said her older daughter had been told no several times, so had stood up and said: 'Sir I'm on my period and I need to go to the toilet'.

The teacher then allowed her to go but on her return told her "not to speak like that in his classroom again", she added.

She said the school had also failed on another day to pass on sanitary supplies that she had taken for her daughter to use, leaving her in "an unhygienic mess for the entire day".

The school said it offers free sanitary products to pupils who need them and that pupils can use the bathrooms when necessary.

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Parents have also raised concerns about the use of sanctions, claiming the school's strict enforcement of its polices was punishing children in such a way that it affects their mental health.

Last June, Charlie and Emma, started a social media group to find out if other families shared their concerns after their daughter was repeatedly placed in isolation.

Within weeks, they had 140 parents in the group telling their own stories.

Charlie and Emma started a parents' social media group

One parent said her child was reprimanded for her shoes being shiny, while another said her daughter was suspended for going to the toilet without permission, despite having a medical pass.

Speaking to the BBC this week, they said they had since chosen to home-school their daughter.

"It just got too much, for both of us," said Emma.

Other parents said they had also been "pushed" into removing their children from the school.

Jenny said she decided to home-school her son after repeated sanctions against him

Jenny said her son, who uses hearing aids and a loop system in school, was repeatedly being sent to the behavioural support unit.

"If he refuses to go he gets suspended," she said.

"It's just silly things, like when you haven't got the 'KEVI six', which is two purple pens, two black pens and ruler and a pencil. But if you haven't got two, then you'll get into trouble for it," she added.

Jenny said she had agreed to home-school her son before the school expelled him but added that within 24 hours of sending the email, the school had removed him from the register.

"I do feel the school has picked on him to lead me to doing what I'm doing," she said.

"Something is not working, not just for my child, but other children. So they've got to change it," she added.

The school said whether to home-school a student was a decision for the parent.

However, it said that with a family's consent it would explore what support could be offered.

Lucy said it felt like she was sending her children to a prison

Another parent, Lucy, said her child had been diagnosed with separation-anxiety disorder, which meant it was sometimes difficult to get him into school.

But she claimed the school had threatened to impose sanctions if he failed to attend.

"I don't feel it's a behavioural problem. I do feel it's an anxiety problem," she said.

"Something has happened in a lesson, or a teacher has done something that my son has been unhappy with and that's where the anxiety comes from."

Suspensions used as 'last resort'

On one occasion, she said her son had a panic attack after being told to "pull himself together" by a teacher.

"I feel my children are going to a prison when they go to school," she added.

A spokesperson for the school said: "At KEVI we work hard to create an inclusive, respectful and purposeful learning environment for all of our students.

"Any pupil removed from a lesson because of disruptive behaviour will work under the guidance of a staff member and with other students. Pupils will not be sent into isolation for non-behaviour-related matters. Suspensions are only used as a last resort.

"We have seen a reduction in the number of suspensions, as behaviour at KEVI improves."

The school, which was rated as "good" following an Ofsted inspection in January 2023, previously said it welcomed feedback and had made a number of recent changes, including stopping after-school detentions when families raised the issue of difficult transport links in the local area.

The Ofsted report said leaders at the school had "high expectations of pupils' behaviour" and were committed to "disruption-free learning".

"Pupils meet these expectations and, as a result, learn in classrooms where behaviour is calm and focused."

The report added that "a small number of older pupils share less positive views".