Installing washroom facilities at your school can be complicated and quite confusing, especially if your school is diverse in age. To have the most sufficient facilities in place, you need to consider location, colour schemes, fixtures, materials, health and safety and finishings. All while remaining within budget and operating around school times.
Before replacing or building a school washroom, one of the most important factors to consider is the regulations that are in place. There are several different sets of guidance out there which can often be confusing. That’s why our guide takes a more simple approach, collecting all the relevant information you may need and how to implement them within your school toilets.
School washroom standards
Toilets and washrooms
- Provide a suitable toilet and washing facility that is provided for the sole use of pupils
- Separate toilet facilities for boys and girls ages 8 years and over except where the toilet is provided in a room that can be secured from the inside and used one at a time
- Suitable changing accommodation and showering facilities for pupils aged 11 and above at the start of the school year and who receive physical education
- Student toilets and staff toilets should be kept separate, except for disabled toilets
- Toilets and washrooms used by staff may also be used by visitors
Planning and installation
- Handwashing facilities should be installed in close reach of every toilet
- Toilet cubicles should be well-lit and ventilated
- Washrooms should be located in easily accessible areas that allow information supervision by staff without compromising privacy
- The privacy of the occupants should be ensured in unisex provisions e.g. adequate enclosure and a full-height door
Disabled and accessible facilities
Each toilet installed for disabled pupils needs to contain one toilet and one washbasin. This cubicle must have a door opening directly onto a circulation space that is not a staircase and which can be secured from the inside.
If possible, the number and location of disabled toilets will be sufficient to ensure a reasonable travel distance for users and not require users to change floors or use transport.
Find out more about disabled toilet regulations here.
Changing rooms and showers
When installing a changing room or shower space in a school, it is recommended for showers to be in areas separated from toilets and offer adequate privacy. Consideration may also be given to providing changing rooms in primary schools (for pupils who need to wear sports kits for physical education) but this is not mandated under the regulations.
The number of fittings used in a school washroom
- Toilets and urinals ( male ) - 1 per 20 pupils - urinals should account for no more than two-thirds of male fixtures
- Toilets ( females ) - 1 per 20 pupils
- Handwash basins - One per toilet or urinal where there are three fixtures or fewer. Two per three toilets or urinals where there are three fixtures or more - Handwash basins should be located close to toilets and urinals
The British Standard also states that disabled toilet facilities must be designed and finished to the same standard as other washrooms. They should also be located away from stairs and have accessible space of no less than 750mm.
When there are four or more toilet cubicles in a block, at least one of them should be a designated disabled cubicle with a diameter of 1200mm and horizontal and vertical handrails. All other cubicles should have at least 450mm of manoeuvring room.
School toilet refurbishment by Inspired Washrooms
When designing your school toilets, our team will work with you to create your desired space, utilising high-quality materials and resources. Our team of designers are also aware of all the user-friendly functions needed for a school setting.
Inspired Washrooms also have access to a wide range of colour schemes, splash mirrors and finishing details to make the space unique to your school and community. We cover the whole of the UK including Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester and London!
Get in touch on 0115 811 4242 and one of our friendly team members will get your next school toilet project started!