EXCLUSIVE: School pupil, 14, needs toilet at short notice 'but told wait until afternoons'
Bailey Wood is under the care of Alder Hey Children Hospital's Urology department and has just started year 10 at St George's School in Blackpool, but his parents have pulled him out of school
A teenage boy has been banned from going to the toilet during class, despite a medical condition that means he needs the loo at short notice.
Bailey Wood is under the care of Alder Hey Children Hospital's Urology department and has just started year 10 at St George's School in Blackpool. His family say the 14-year-old pupil had no issue going to the toilet when he needed to during his first three years at the school, but as he started the new term, a new regime meant he was now not allowed to leave his seat.
The youngster, who has an exemplary behaviour record and was awarded a prize at the end of year 9 for never receiving a single negative behaviour point for the whole school year, just wants to learn, according to his distraught parents Macala and Daniel Wood. Speaking to the Mirror, charity worker Macala said: "Bailey has issues going to the toilet and can need to go at short notice.
"He's always been able to go to the toilet in year seven, year eight, year nine, no problem at all. And then last week we got a call out of the blue saying that Bailey could no longer have a toilet pass because his letter from Alder Hey was a year old, so it didn't stand anymore. Funnily enough, we had an appointment the same week, so Alder Hey wrote us another letter, no problem, it's all on headed paper."
The letter states: "Bailey is currently under the care of the Urology Team at Alder Hey Hospital. As part of his treatment plan we are encouraging Bailey to maintain a good oral intake and to visit the toilet regularly and routinely, it is essential Bailey has access to his water bottle whilst in school in order to ensure that he is able to reach his recommended oral intake totals over the course of the day.
"Furthermore, I would be grateful if you could issue Bailey with a toilet pass so that he is able to access the toilet as and when required. Bailey does experience sudden urgency which means he has little or no warning prior to needing the toilet and therefore Bailey can become very anxious in relation to accessing the toilet at school."
Bailey went to school the next day, but his parents claim he was still refused toilet access and that three separate teachers refused to look at his letter. After contacting the school and asking why Bailey wasn't being allowed to go, the family say they received a call the next day to say Bailey could only have a pass for the afternoon.
Macala, 47, said: "Where's the logic in that? Does Bailey not need the toilet in the morning? They don't understand his condition, it doesn't work like that, if he needs to go, he needs to go. They've got a letter from Alder Hey. I was quite furious, to be honest. I kept my cool, I didn't swear or anything, but I said, my child cannot be at school if he can't access the toilet, it's as simple as that.
"It's putting him in an embarrassing situation, he'd be worried the whole time that he couldn't go to the toilet and might wet himself. I told them 'I'm taking my son out of school until I can have written confirmation that my child can go to the toilet when he needs to go'."
She added: "He's just about to start doing GCSEs, it's very important that he's in school, we want him to be at that school, but we just want him to be able to go to the toilet. We don't want him off school. Bailey wants us to speak up as he doesn't want another child to have to go through this."
Bailey is currently being kept away from lessons until his parents come to an agreement with the school. Both the school and his parents told the Mirror they have met to discuss the issue. Bailey was in uniform and ready to attend school this week but when his parents went to reception, they were told a letter confirming Bailey could use the toilet when he needed could take several days to issue, so he remains off school. The school maintains the matter is resolved and Bailey can return to school.
St George's School in Blackpool's headteacher Graham Warnock told the Mirror that the health and wellbeing of all pupils is his top priority. He said: "We do not operate a formal toilet pass system; if a pupil needs to use the toilet during lessons, they can politely ask their teacher at any time.
"We do have an adjustment policy for rare cases where pupils require more frequent or discreet access to the toilet, and this is recorded in our school system so that teachers are aware. These adjustments are usually agreed with parents and, where discretion is requested, often arranged for the afternoon when the school day is longer.
"In this case, a discretion adjustment was put in place following a discussion with the parent, who requested discretion around the child’s medical needs. We are confident that our approach is in line with our duty of care and supports the welfare and dignity of all pupils."