This week has been designated as Anti Bullying Week. I m sure that many of your readers will be familiar with the issue of bullying in schools and the impact which it has on victims. School toilets are recognised as a hotspot for bullies. I have just writ

This week has been designated as Anti Bullying Week. I'm sure that many of your readers will be familiar with the issue of bullying in schools and the impact which it has on victims.

School toilets are recognised as a hotspot for bullies. I have just written a free factsheet to help reduce bullying and anti-social behaviour in school washrooms.

Schools can improve pupil safety by designing out bullying in school toilets.

Among the top tips in the factsheet are:

School toilets should be arranged in small blocks and not in one large central unit;

Toilets should not be put in at the end of dead-end corridors, but opposite classrooms and staff rooms to improve the way they are supervised;

Visibility in toilets should be improved through the use of blurred glass cubicles;

Hand-washing areas should be unisex and more visible from passing staff and prefects;

When planning toilets, staff and pupils should be involved as much as possible;

Follow the Toilets in Schools guidelines issued by the Government agency Partnerships for Schools;

Attractive, but highly durable anti-vandal sanitaryware should be used for all toilets and washrooms to reduce the long term financial impact of vandalism.

New toilet facilities should meet the minimum requirements of the 'Bog Standard Campaign';

Entitled ''Reducing the impact of bullying and anti-social behaviour in school toilets and washrooms'', the factsheet can be obtained by e-mailing Wallgate Limited at: schooltoilets@wallgate.com or by writing to: School Toilets Factsheet, Wallgate Limited, Crow Lane, Wilton, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP2 0HB.

Jean Donovan

Author