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Debate over unisex school toilets at Northstowe Secondary College




Parents have raised concerns that their daughters are avoiding going to the toilet and even drinking water at school because they are unhappy about being forced to share the facilities with boys.

The students at Northstowe Secondary College have been coming home with headaches due to dehydration and have had to rush home in order to use the lavatory at the end of the day because they refuse to use the unisex toilets.

Northstowe Secondary College is part of Northstowe Learning Community. Picture: Keith Heppell
Northstowe Secondary College is part of Northstowe Learning Community. Picture: Keith Heppell

Since the school opened it has only provided gender neutral toilets, which parents say cause embarrassment for teenage girls.

Maja Kaczerewska, who is the mother of a girl in Year 7, said: “My daughter completely refuses to use the school toilets because she doesn’t want to share with boys. The children take mobile phones into school and she doesn’t know if they will take a picture. She doesn’t know if a boy will be there when she needs the toilet and she doesn’t like it not being private.

“She has been coming home every day with a headache and I was giving her paracetamol until I found out she had stopped drinking at school, so she has become dehydrated.

“It’s a half hour walk to school each way and she has to hold on for six hours at school. I’m worried it is affecting her concentration and learning. We have written to the school with our complaint and brought it up in a public meeting. I received a letter this week saying boys and girls will have separate cubicles but I’m worried that will just amount to a sticker on the door, not proper separate facilities.”

Jordan Dombrowski, father of a girl at the school, said: “Like a lot of girls at the school she doesn’t want to use the restrooms. It’s a matter of privacy for her and she says the teenage boys make the toilets disgusting. I know even as an adult I would not want to share toilets with the opposite sex.

“She basically doesn’t use them at all and waits all day until she gets home, which is not acceptable.

“Schools are legally required to provide facilities that are separate for boys and girls. The only exception is if the school wants to provide a facility for transgender children. I don’t understand why they can’t provide toilets for boys and girls and have a separate unisex toilet. I understand what the school is trying to achieve but they are doing it the wrong way.”

Another parent contacted the Cambridge Independent to say his daughter had received a detention for going into a staff toilet to deal with a sanitary pad leak in private.

In June 2017, the Department of Education issued guidance on ‘Gender separation in mixed schools’ which states: “It is permissible for toilet and boarding accommodation facilities to be separate as they are captured under existing statutory exceptions. Separate toilet and washing facilities must be provided for boys and girls aged 8 years and over pursuant to Regulation 4 of the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, which falls within the exemption provided for in Schedule 22 of the Equality Act 2010”.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission publication Technical Guidance for Schools in England states that it may be discriminatory to insist a transgender young person use the facilities of their birth sex. Schools should avoid putting pupils who identify as transgender in humiliating or uncomfortable positions as far as is reasonably practicable.

However, exemptions to the Equality Act 2010 allow for the provision of single-sex facilities in order to achieve a legitimate aim. These exemptions apply to scenarios such as changing rooms and sleeping arrangements.

The Safer Schools Alliance, which campaigns for single sex facilities in schools, says: “It is essential that children and teenagers feel that their personal boundaries are respected and protected. Puberty and adolescence are times when a child may feel particularly self-conscious or insecure. They may feel uncomfortable in situations where they may be or feel exposed (such as in toilets, changing rooms and in shared accommodation). It is vital schools are sensitive to this.”

Dr Claire Mills, principal of Northstowe Secondary College, part of the Northstowe Learning Community, said: “At Northstowe Learning Community, the safety, comfort, and wellbeing of our students are our top priorities. Since opening in 2019, our open-plan toilet facilities, designed by Cambridgeshire County Council, have adhered to modern standards widely adopted in schools across the country.

“These facilities feature private, floor-to-ceiling cubicles and open handwashing areas, promoting hygiene, accessibility and safeguarding. Our facilities have always included sanitary bins in every toilet to ensure all students have access to appropriate provisions.

“The recent decision to designate specific areas for girls and boys aims to provide additional reassurance and convenience. These changes reflect our proactive approach to student wellbeing and are not a response to external pressure or complaints.

“It is important to clarify that this is not a new policy. The current design, which includes unisex facilities, has been in place since the school opened in 2019. This layout was carefully chosen to prioritise safeguarding, with open areas that are easily monitored, while supporting hygiene and accessibility for all students.

“The school is committed to ensuring that these facilities are clean, safe and easily accessible, with regular monitoring in place to uphold hygiene standards. Any enquiries or concerns raised by students about using the facilities, including individual needs, will continue to be handled with sensitivity. We value the ongoing feedback from our school community and are always open to dialogue to ensure that we meet the needs of all our students. Our goal is to ensure all students feel safe, respected and supported.”



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