A high school head teacher has defended new rules restricting pupils’ visits to the toilet during classes – insisting that ‘every second of learning time counts’.

In a letter sent out to parents, Ballakermeen head Graeme Corrin highlighted an issue with repeated toilet visits during lessons.

He said teachers have been asked not to allow students to leave lessons to go to the toilet unless they have a medical issue or it is judged an ‘extraordinary situation’.

He wrote: ‘We currently have too many students requesting to leave lessons to go to the toilet. Many of these students are subsequently missing large chunks of lesson time and learning.’

To address the issue, the school is instructing students that they need to go to the toilet at lunchtime or break time. Mr Corrin said: ‘We will be increasing supervision around the toilets. Teachers have been asked not to allow students to leave lessons to go to the toilet unless they have a medical pass or it is judged an extraordinary situation.

‘We would appreciate your support in encouraging your child to use the toilet before school, at break time and lunchtime, so there is no requirement for them to leave lessons and miss important learning.’

In a statement, Mr Corrin defended the new rule.

He said: ‘There will of course be times and situations where students need to leave lessons, and teachers are able to show understanding and use their professional judgment and discretion.’

On one day this week 163 students were permitted to leave lessons for a number of reasons, he said.

Mr Corrin said the school was ‘embedding a culture where every second of learning time counts’. He said: ‘In my letter to families, I outlined the rationale for the actions that we have taken regarding toilet facilities which are intended to ensure that lesson time is not missed.

‘We are encouraging students to visit toilets before school, at break and at lunchtime rather than leaving lessons and missing out.’

In his letter to parents, Ballakermeen’s head said staff have made it clear to students that multiple occupancy of toilet cubicles is not permitted and will result in a suspension as again this leads to lost learning time.

He explained that some students gather in cubicles to vape and there was a potential safeguarding risk posed by more than one student being confined in a single cubicle. Damage, intentional or otherwise, also tended to occur when single cubicles are over-occupied.

Mr Corrin put straight ‘factually incorrect’ recent social media posts. He said: ‘Whilst we do have CCTV in the toilet areas, this does not cover the cubicles themselves, simply the communal hand wash area. There are also several cubicles that due to vandalism are missing doors and out of action awaiting repair. All working toilets have lockable doors ensuring privacy is maintained.’