Parents angry at primary school's plans for 'gender neutral toilets'

A petition is demanding Rudyard Kipling School in Woodingdean halts proposals to convert the girls’ toilets into “gender neutral” facilitates and demolish the boys’.

The school says the toilets will be similar to others used in a number of schools and universities in Brighton.

Rudyard Kipling Primary School & Nursery

The toilets at the school in Chalkland Rise would be for children in Key Stage Two, who are aged between seven and 11. The petition was started by mother Demi Abell and has already been signed by 25 other parents.

Ms Abell, whose daughter goes to the school, said: “Girls in Year 6 might be starting to get their monthly cycles and it’s a hard enough time as it is without having to feel even more uncomfortable.

“The suggestion they could use the disabled toilets if they feel uncomfortable is discriminating against a natural process.

“You could also have girls going in the toilets and boys and banging on the doors.

Demi Abell says parents have been signing her petition in the playground

“And for either sex, if there’s a big group of the opposite sex in the toilets, they might feel nervous about going.

“Secondary schools are one thing, but we’re talking about children – just let kids be kids.”

The 30-year-old said parents were not adequately consulted about the change.

The petition which 25 other parents have signed

The school denied this and said it had been giving tours of the current facilities to parents to explain the plans.

The Argus was invited to the school by the headteacher.

During the visit, she explained the proposals.

The proposals, which are “not set in stone”, would mean the current boys’ toilets being turned into a “learning environment”.

The girls’ toilets, which are along the corridor, will become “gender neutral” facilities.

The current girl's toilets which are to be turned 'gender neutral'

In these, boys would use the cubicles on the right hand side of the room and girls would use the cubicles on the left.

There would be a shared entrance area and the children would wash their hands in the same space.

Ms Abell said she took her daughter to a “gender neutral” public toilet to show what it would be like – and she refused to use one of the toilets.

Joanne Smith, the school’s headteacher, said: “We’re renovating an outdated toilet block which is not in keeping with the modern facilities we want for our pupils.

“We want our toilet area to be suitable for all our pupils and we’re following architects’ advice on how best to use the space.

“This is a toilet design used in schools across the country, both primary and secondary.”

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “Renovations are a matter for individual schools.

“This is part of the £4.9million maintenance work budget for all schools across the city in the for the year ahead.”