If we think back to our school days I think we can all remember a time when we were afraid to visit the loo.
School toilets can be extremely daunting particularly for young children if the toilet is dirty, dark and dingy. According to an article in the Nursing Times, children have frequently reported “smelly, dirty or unpleasant toilets in their schools”
“Create toilets children want to use”
Amwell Systems “Playtime” cubicles with Dinosaurs digital print doors and Citrus arched pilasters (Left) and Lemon Yellow doors with Mecury Skittles pilasters (Right)
Drinking enough water is key to ensuring that children stay healthy. This means they must have access to toilets that they not only can use but will want to use. Combining bright colours with fun digital prints is one way a school can encourage toilet use.
“Educate children at the same time”
Using a digital print can also be appealing not only visulaly but also from an educational point of view.
Amwell Systems Flags print
When carrying out research we showed 3 separate groups of infant and primary school children a selection of digital prints. When asked which ones they liked they got particularly excited about the flags of the world and commented that they “would be able to learn the names of some of the countries they had never heard of and their flags.”
“Mental health concerns”
As well as the obvious physical health implications there is also the concern that poor school toilet facilities can have on a childs mental wellbeing.
Bullying in school toilets is something that has long been an issue. Lack of privacy whilst using the washrooms is one of the biggest causes of bullying and something which every washroom manufacturer should be able to help combat.
“Complete Privacy”
Complete Privacy in a washroom is one way to stamp this out. Almost every child at secondary school now carries a smart phone and the unfortunate truth is that some students are likely to slide phones underneath or above cubicle doors and divisions. As a measure against this cubicle manufacturers should be able to offer completely self-contained units with minimal floor clearance to avoid any likelihood of a camera phone being slid underneath or over the door. Divisions should be completely concealed running in to the ceiling and in to a channel on the floor.
Amwell Systems “Splash” complete privacy cubicles in Heather SGL at St Bartholomews School, Newbury
Clearly a self contained cubicle could be daunting in itself but being kept clean, having warm bright lighting and choosing a familiar colour (the colour above is one of St Bartholomew’s House colours) can make the whole experience far less stressful for children.
“No where for the bullies to hide”
The other benefit to children of having a set up like the one above is that there is no where for bullies to hide. These cubicles are in a purpose built offshoot of the school corridor so there is no opportunity for children to congregate in private and potentially pick on other children such as often happens in more traditional school washroom environments.
For more information on products for School Washrooms visit www.ammwell-systems.com
call 01763 276200 or email contact@amwell-systems.com
