STUDENTS are being locked out of their school toilets as part of a disciplinary crackdown - but the move has been branded as “an abuse of power”.

Pupils at Shoeburyness High School and Sixth Form currently have to collect and return a key in order to use the toilets during school time.

An insider told The Echo: “Some children live far away and that means not using a toilet for a few hours.

“This is an abuse of power from the school, especially for the girls.

“The Sixth Form toilets are locked all day and the students have to sign for a key to use the toilet and then return the toilet key back to reception.”

Shoeburyness High School, in Caulfield Road, has more than 1,500 pupils, aged 11-18.

It was rated ‘Good’ at its last Ofsted inspection.

The school is also a member of the Southend East Community Academy Trust (SECAT), along with five other Southend schools: Bournes Green Infant School, Bournes Green Junior School, Hinguar Primary School & Nursery, Richmond Avenue Primary & Nursery School, and Thorpedene Primary School.

A spokesman for Shoeburyness High School said: “The main toilets in the school are locked at 2.15pm everyday. However, there is a toilet that always remains open by reception in the medical area and anyone who needs it, can come down there to ask and use it.

“For the Sixth Form toilets, they do have to sign a key at the moment to get into the toilets and out of them.

“However, the reason for this is because of an incident of student vandalism. Ordinarily they are free flow, but because of what somebody did, at the moment they’ve got to sign a key in and out, but they can be used by students at any time.”

What do you think? Is this an appropriate way of instilling discipline, or does it mean punishing all students for the behaviour of a minority? Email basildon.echonews@newsquest.co.uk