Teachers left girl on period to bleed through clothes

AMUM of a young school girl from Bristol has been left horrified after witnessing her daughter return home from school on two occasions having bled through her clothes because teachers would not allow her to leave the classroom.

The 11-year-old pupil, who attends Cotham School, has been left feeling “humiliated” by the incidents, says her mum, and no longer feels comfortable attending school while she is on her period.

Following a number of complaints made by the mother to the secondary school on her daughter’s behalf, she has now been given a toilet pass.

However, the parent is concerned with the way the school dealt with the situation and is worried other girls at the school and across the UK may be at risk of having the same experience.

“They should not be making young girls feel guilty because she needs to go to the bathroom and sort out her basic care. Now, she’s scared to go to school in case they won’t let her out of the classroom. That’s not what we should be teaching girls,” said the mum, who has not been named to protect her child’s identity.

“It shouldn’t have got as far as her having to bleed through her clothes not once but twice in the space of a few short months. Schools should be finding ways to help kids, not traumatise them,” she said.

“When you’re only 11 years old and shy anyway, requesting to go to the toilet several times is unpleasant enough, but all she wanted to do was take care of her basic care.

“They kept saying it was their policy but I really think they should change their policy if that’s the case, they need to do better.

“I mean my daughter is one among thousands of girls in any number of schools in Bristol and up and down the country, so this can’t just be happening to her and it’s not acceptable.

“Their primary concern should be the welfare of girls who have the right to basic care and not focused solely on whether children will abuse some sort of pass system.”

She claims her daughter has not received an apology from the school despite being made to feel like it was her fault.

A spokesperson for Cotham School, said: “The school does have a policy not to allow students out of lessons for the toilet as part of our Safeguarding procedures. Students should not be out of lessons unsupervised.

“However, as staff we are all keenly aware that we have young girls in our care and that, on occasion, they will need to use the toilet outside of the usual break times.

“It is regrettable that this has happened and that this young girl has felt humiliated and also that this article may portray the school in a negative way when we are trying to do good work in this area.

“The toilet pass can be shown discretely to the teacher so that there is no explanation required.

“Many young girls and boys who have need of the toilet outside of lessons have these passes at Cotham School.”