Girl, 15, leaves school after being told she can't go to the toilet during class

A teenager says she has left school and will be home educated after being told she couldn't use the toilet during lessons.

Holly Hicks says girls are being left humiliated and embarrassed when on their period because they are prevented from going to the toilet during lessons - or because cubicles are locked. Holly, who was diagnosed with autism two years ago, left Radyr Comprehensive in early 2024 when she was in year nine, but is still officially registered there. She is now learning online.

The 15-year-old pupil says she understands teachers' concerns about youngsters vaping and other bad behaviour happening in the toilet areas in schools, but said that did not mean all pupils on their periods should be prevented from using them when they needed to.

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Holly told : “When I’ve asked to go to the toilet because I’ve started my period before, I’ve been told ‘you have to wait until break’. But at break time, the toilets are so crowded you can’t get in there, and maybe you don’t want to change your pad and stuff when everyone is in there."

The teenager said it was true a lot of bad behaviour went on in the toilets, but said schools should address that rather than making everyone suffer. She said: "At my school a few of the toilets were locked, and often just some were accessible. The toilets are always busy, and always dirty. Some were open, some were closed.

"Often the entire block where the toilets are located are locked, so you can’t get in to the building to access toilets. I understand the reasons why the school made these decisions but it also isn’t fair. A lot of students are in the toilets vaping, or they stay in there after the break to try skip the next lesson and stuff like that, and that’s what teachers are worried about.

“We were never let out of lessons to go to the toilet, which again I do kind of understand, but this was the case even if you said you had your period."

She added: "It becomes this extremely stressful ordeal if you unexpectedly get your period. The whole process could take around 10 minutes of walking here and there and you could leak through and be embarrassed in front of the entire school.

"If the toilets are locked when you have a period, you’re in trouble. A friend of mine bled through her uniform, had to explain this to teachers, and we were in the first few weeks of year seven.

"She had to walk with a teacher the whole way through the school to a different block to get products and change, it was horrible. I understand the problems schools are having but you need to make the toilets accessible for the reasons they’re there. Don’t lock them away from people who need to use them.”

Holly's mother Jo Wallace, who went to Radyr Comprehensive herself, said the toilets were always available when she was a pupil in the 1990s. She said lack of access to the toilets and Holly's anxiety and autism were the reasons she took her daughter out for home schooling, but she hoped to send her back one day, if the issues are resolved.

She said Holly also needed to be able to go to the toilet to "regulate" herself during the school day because of her autism. She said: "Holly is still officially registered at the school but now has an online tutor at home which costs hundreds a month.

"If she had her period she could never access the toilet when she needed to. Toilets were locked during lessons and even with a toilet pass she had to get someone to open it."

The Welsh Government said school toilet policies are overseen by governors but toilets should be open. "We provide clear guidance to schools that toilets should be open and accessible to all learners throughout the school day," a spokeswoman said.

A Cardiff Council spokesman said the authority wanted to "find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed" but some schools had to close them at times because of anti-social behaviour.

More than £1m has been invested through Cardiff’s Period Dignity initiative to combat stigma, address period poverty, and improve school facilities "to ensure dignity for learners", the spokesman added.

“Secondary schools are provided with a variety of period products, and dispensers have been installed in school toilets to ensure easy access to period products without needing to ask staff.

“We acknowledge the challenges some schools face in keeping toilet facilities free from anti-social behaviour and ensuring safeguarding, which may lead to restricted use during the day. However, we are committed to working with schools to find solutions that ensure pupils can access toilets when needed."