Periods: More than 1/3 of primary schools not joined government scheme

Period products, like pads and tampons, can be expensive and in the past some girls skipped school because they couldn't always afford the products they needed.

A government scheme, launched in England in January 2020, allows schools to order period products to give to students for free to tackle the problem of period poverty.

But new data from the Department for Education shows that while lots of secondary schools have been interested in the scheme, more than a third of primary schools haven't ordered any products yet.

According to the NHS, the average age for puberty to start in girls is 11. Monthly periods then usually begin at around the age of 12, but some girls will start to have them earlier or later on.

The data from the Department for Education shows that 94 percent of secondary schools have made at least one order since the scheme began. The figure for primary schools is lower at just 61 percent.

Julie McCulloch, Director of Policy at the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The much lower level of interest at primary level almost certainly reflects the fact that only a small percentage of primary pupils will require these products.

"However, with girls increasingly starting their periods at younger and younger ages, it's important that all schools take advantage of this scheme, and we would encourage the government to continue to raise awareness of the scheme among primary schools."

Schools are able to choose from a wide range of products including period pads, menstrual cups, and tampons.

But the new data also revealed that more schools and colleges are ordering more environmental and reusable period products.

The take-up for products was low at the beginning of 2021, but this is probably because of the restrictions that were in place because of the pandemic.

Head of public sector at Personnel Hygiene Services Ltd (PHS), Chris Brown, says that he is proud of the scheme but that there is still a long way to go to make everyone aware that period products are available in both primary and secondary schools.

Minister for Children and Families, Will Quince says he is pleased to see lots of people using the scheme and encourages "every school and college to check their stocks" to "make the most" out of it!

Emma Thompson O'Dowd, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at charity Plan International UK, said: "Access to free period products is a critical first step in eliminating period poverty and ensuring girls can thrive in school.

"The Department for Education must act now to ensure plans are in place beyond the current end date for the scheme in July 2022."

If you or anyone you know has questions or worries about anything that you have read in this article, speak to an adult that you trust you about it. That might be a teacher or someone in your family.

You can also call ChildLine for free on 0800 1111 for advice.