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Parents have hit out at the ‘degrading’ school toilet policy at a Worksop school, claiming pupils are being denied basic access to use the facilities.

Access to toilets at Outwood Academy Portland are being restricted by security shutters during lesson time according to frustrated parents who have compared the draconian rules to those in a prison.

Suzanne Willis contacted the Worksop Guardian on Facebook posting “Portland School is closing the toilets to all children and they are only allowed to go three time in one school day, how is this acceptable?

"Children are protesting everywhere and schools are not informing parents about this closed toilet business. I think it's degrading, prison is better than school. Young girls are unable to use the toilet as and when they have monthly periods, they must ask permission to go and say why they need to go, invasion of privacy.”

Another message received from Grant McAdam said the school had ‘shop security shutter’ type barriers on the toilets during lesson time to prevent access.

A spokesman from Outwood Academy Portland said pupils were allowed to use the toilet during lessons if they had a toilet pass for medical reasons.

The spokesman said:"There have been no recent changes to the academy's toilet policy. As always, students are encouraged to use the toilet before school, at break time and at lunch time to minimise any disruption to learning.

"However, students are permitted to go to the toilet during lessons if they have a toilet pass that has been issued for medical reasons, or if they have a note from their teacher. Toilets are fully supervised and continuously kept clean throughout the day."

The complaints come after pupils at a number of other Outwood Academy sites across the country launched protests and demonstrations over toilet and uniform rules.

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It has now emerged that the demonstrations – which have spread to a number of other schools run by other providers – are part of a nationwide TikTok trend, with pupils urged to protest against toilet facilities and uniform rules within schools.

In recent days, schools from Liverpool to Lincolnshire and Essex to Oxfordshire have been hit by protesting pupils, upset at having to follow school rules.

The Worksop Guardian has not been made aware of any protests taking place at Outwood Academy Portland.

Anger over ‘degrading’ school toilet policy at Worksop school