Teachers', Parents', and Pupils' Perceptions and Described Experiences of Toilet Provisions and Practices within English Schools

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Teachers', Parents', and Pupils' Perceptions and Described Experiences of Toilet Provisions and Practices within English Schools
Language: English
Authors: Matthew J. Green (ORCID 0000-0002-8065-0446), Charlotte Haines Lyon, Alice Little, Jamie Telford
Source: British Educational Research Journal. 2025 51(6):2683-2699.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Teacher Attitudes, Parent Attitudes, Student Attitudes, School Policy, Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools, Sanitary Facilities, Student Behavior, Teacher Behavior, Barriers
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1002/berj.4198
ISSN: 0141-1926
1469-3518
Abstract: This paper explores teachers', parents' and pupils' perceptions and described experiences of school toilet policies, provisions and practices within state-funded primary (5-11 years) and secondary (11-16 years) schools in England. In doing so, this research critically examines how school-specific policies and toilet provisions influence children's and young people's use of toilets at school and identifies issues which pupils must navigate within this heavily tabooed space. Seeking to portray a range of perspectives, we present data generated through three mixed-method surveys completed by 96 schoolteachers, 158 parents and 198 secondary school pupils. Adopting an overarching wide-angled lens, we combine descriptive statistics with thematic analysis to detail similarities and nuances of parents', teachers' and pupils' perceptions around (a) accessibility of school toilets, (b) problematic pupil behaviour and (c) provision quality. The different perspectives offered provide a wide-angled lens which allows for a wider dialogue between pupils, parents and teachers. Our key findings underscore the need for standardised, equity-focused guidelines that address both infrastructural inadequacies and behavioural dynamics.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1490421
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:This paper explores teachers', parents' and pupils' perceptions and described experiences of school toilet policies, provisions and practices within state-funded primary (5-11 years) and secondary (11-16 years) schools in England. In doing so, this research critically examines how school-specific policies and toilet provisions influence children's and young people's use of toilets at school and identifies issues which pupils must navigate within this heavily tabooed space. Seeking to portray a range of perspectives, we present data generated through three mixed-method surveys completed by 96 schoolteachers, 158 parents and 198 secondary school pupils. Adopting an overarching wide-angled lens, we combine descriptive statistics with thematic analysis to detail similarities and nuances of parents', teachers' and pupils' perceptions around (a) accessibility of school toilets, (b) problematic pupil behaviour and (c) provision quality. The different perspectives offered provide a wide-angled lens which allows for a wider dialogue between pupils, parents and teachers. Our key findings underscore the need for standardised, equity-focused guidelines that address both infrastructural inadequacies and behavioural dynamics.
ISSN:0141-1926
1469-3518
DOI:10.1002/berj.4198