**Teenager Opts for Home Education After School Toilet Restrictions During Menstrual Periods**
A Welsh teenager has turned to home learning after a string of distressing experiences at her comprehensive school, stemming from strict policies limiting access to toilets during lessons—even for those on their periods. Holly Hicks, aged 15 and from Pentyrch, recounted feeling embarrassed and excluded after teachers denied her permission to use the facilities at crucial times, ultimately prompting her and her family to conclude that mainstream schooling was no longer sustainable.
Diagnosed with autism just two years ago, Holly previously attended Radyr Comprehensive School but withdrew in early 2024 while in Year 9. Although she remains officially on the school’s roll, Holly now studies at home, sitting GCSEs online with private tutoring. She explained that though she understood the motives behind the restrictions—especially in light of concerns about vaping and poor behaviour in toilets—these measures, in her experience, penalised all students, leaving young women struggling with their periods in difficult and sometimes humiliating situations.
“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’,” she said. For Holly and other pupils, break times often bring their own challenges: “The toilets are so crowded you can’t get in, and maybe you don’t want to change your pad and stuff when everyone is in there,” she continued, emphasising how the situation undermined privacy and dignity.
Wider reports from Holly’s school in Radyr also reveal that some toilet blocks were regularly locked, sometimes leaving only a few cubicles accessible. The facilities themselves, she claims, are frequently busy and not always clean. Concerns about students vaping or hiding to skip lessons are cited as the reasons for these measures, but Holly argued these policies should be targeted at misbehaving individuals, not imposed universally: “A lot of students are in the toilets vaping, or they stay in there after the break to skip the next lesson, and that’s what teachers are worried about. But these blanket rules hurt everyone.”
For girls who unexpectedly start their period during a lesson, the process of accessing sanitary products can be especially daunting. Holly described having to go to the school office to request pads, often needing to speak to a male teacher and be escorted to a supply cupboard—a procedure that quickly became time-consuming and embarrassing. “It’s this whole big process just to get a pad, so it makes you not want to be in school,” she explained. “If the toilets are locked when you have a period, you’re in trouble.”
Holly’s mother, Jo Wallace, recalls that such barriers simply didn’t exist during her own time at Radyr Comprehensive in the 1990s. Now, she cites the lack of accessible toilets, coupled with her daughter’s autism and anxiety, as motivating factors for the family’s decision to pursue home education—at a considerable personal cost. “She needs to be able to go to the toilet to regulate herself throughout the school day,” Ms Wallace added, highlighting the broader impact on students’ wellbeing.
In response to concerns from parents and campaigners, both the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council have stated that toilets should remain open and accessible for all learners. The Welsh Government clarified, “We provide clear guidance to schools that toilets should be open and accessible to all learners throughout the school day.” Cardiff Council pointed to significant investment through its Period Dignity initiative, funding both improved facilities and free access to menstrual products across schools.
Despite these assurances, a recent survey by hygiene company phs Group and Irise International painted a concerning picture across England, Wales, and Scotland. According to the findings, one in six teachers had denied a student in need—specifically those on their period—from being excused during lessons. In one in four of those cases, the denial reportedly led to serious issues such as students bleeding through their uniforms and facing public embarrassment.
The research further highlighted that two-thirds of pupils lack free access to toilets during the school day, and that policies designed to curb vaping, skiving, and bullying are disproportionately impacting young people managing their periods. On average, girls are found to miss nearly three days each school term—or over 50 days across their school careers—due to period-related challenges exacerbated by toilet restrictions.
Advocates like Chrissy Cattle from Irise International argue that the measures intended to maintain discipline are inadvertently marginalising and harming those who need reliable facilities most. “No student should have to choose between managing their period and accessing education,” she asserted.
The implications are increasingly drawing national attention, with recent calls for better training, more nuanced policies, and youth involvement in decisions about school facilities. “We acknowledge the challenges schools face,” Cardiff Council commented, “but we remain committed to working with schools to find solutions so pupils can access toilets when needed.” The hope is that, with continued dialogue and investment, the dignity and educational opportunities of all learners, especially those menstruating, will be better safeguarded in the future.