In 2010, a survey carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that a quarter of the 300 children surveyed said that they didn’t like using the school toilets. This was partly due to hygiene issues but it was also because of bullying. Bullying can create fear and tension in the school environment and quiet unmodified toilets are partly to blame. 

In schools, the washrooms tend to have a very traditional design. The cubicle doors are short, for safety reasons, and the gendered toilets make it easy for bullies to find opportunities for intimidation and confrontation. The question often asked by parents is what are schools doing to prevent bullying, some of the solutions are outlined below. 

FULL HEIGHT CUBICLES 

One of the ways bullying happens in school toilets is because of the short cubicle doors. These gaps give access to students from the outside who can throw things over, peer over the top, or otherwise interfere with the student using the cubicle. This is impossible with full height cubicle doors. 

Full height cubicle doors doesn’t only prevent students from intruding outside, it also helps the student inside to feel more secure. Full height toilet doors are available in solid grade laminate or full grade laminate. They can be fitted with safety locks in case there are any emergency situations. 

UNISEX WASHROOMS 

The trend for washrooms in schools is towards a unisex style, even though it is still contentious in some quarters. Nevertheless there are some clear advantages to unisex washrooms. They not only prevent bullying, they are also easier to clean, more inclusive, and simpler to monitor. 

So how do they prevent bullying? A unisex washrooms, or gender neutral washroom, is generally set up with cubicle along one wall and a row of sinks along the other. Boys and girls can share these cubicles or they can be separated. The unisex set up increases footfall in the washroom and reduces bullying. It also creates a more respectful space. 

REMOVE THE OUTER DOOR 

When you have a unisex washrooms the outer door leading to the washroom may be redundant. Both boys and girls are using the space and cubicle so the outer door isn’t needed. This further reduces bullying as people passing by can hear what’s going on inside the washroom. But it works for traditional washrooms too. 

A traditional washroom might have urinals with a partition wall. If there is also an outer door this might lead to bullying inside the washroom. Since there is a partition wall already there isn’t really any need for an outer door. Again, this allows people passing by to listen to what is happening inside the washroom. 

BULLYING: An issue to be monitored

Bullying in schools is an issue that needs to be constantly monitored, but with the right internal planning, incidents of bullying can be significantly reduced. Bullies like quiet closed off spaces, so if you can create a layout that’s open plan, busy, and with fewer chances to provoke or intimidate washroom users, it can make a big difference. 

Full height washroom doors will eliminate much of the bullying that goes on in washroom toilets, and unisex toilets will create a more respectful and responsible environment which is also easier to monitor. Finally, remove outer doors or replace them with see through ones to make the washroom more visible to those passing by.

BRAC Projects are a professional fabrication company specialising in solid surfaces, IPS, cladding, laminate furniture and worktops. We have the knowledge and expertise to provide a complete design, furniture fabrication and installation service covering a diverse range of services for a variety of sectors. Using our UK based fabricating facilities, BRAC Projects can offer a personal, efficient and professional fabrication service that will ensure your projects are delivered on time and on budget.

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