Parents have been left ‘fuming’ after finding out their children are being forced to eat lunch outside in the cold and refused toilet access during break times.

Pupils who attend Woodchurch High School are being locked out the school building during lunch and break time every day and only given a ’10 to 15 minute’ window to collect their lunch and use the bathroom.

‘Upset’ parents have said they only became aware of the rules this week despite the school saying they’ve been in place since September 2020.

Louise Easton, who has two daughters that attend Woodchurch, told the Globe she was unaware pupils were being kept outside until her daughters told her last week.

“Since students went back in September, they have been kept in their Covid bubbles, but we weren’t told they would be chucked outside.

“Now we’re hearing from our children that they’ve got to eat their lunch stood up outside and teachers are stood blocking the doorway and refusing any child entry into the school even if they need the toilet,” she said.

Louise said she was ‘angry’ when she heard her daughters were made to stand outside during lunch time.

“The weather has been really bad recently. I think it’s against their rights not being able to go the toilet.

“It’s their free time which is when they’re supposed to go to the toilet, so I don’t see why they’re not allowed?”

Louise said her 11-year-old daughter was left ‘begging’ teachers to go inside but was still refused entry.

She said: “On Friday afternoon my daughter in year 7 was begging a teacher to be let in because she was freezing and didn’t have any tights or a coat on.

“The teacher who was stood there in a coat rolled up his trouser legs and told her she couldn’t moan now because his legs were bare too.”

She added: “My argument is that if that was me at home and I put all my kids out in the back garden for an hour and made them eat their lunch I’d get complaints for neglect.”

Louise complained to the school and after what she described as a ‘generic response’ she set up a Facebook group for parents of Woodchurch students, which has more than 200 members, to express and share concerns.

Keren Howard, who has two sons who attend Woodchurch, told the Globe she was ‘fuming’ when she heard they were made to stand outside.

“It is bitterly cold at the moment so I can’t even imagine having to stand outside and eat your lunch.

“I was fuming. I’ve had to go to the shops and buy my sons thermals to wear under their uniform and hand warmers to try and keep them warm during break and lunch,” she said.

Keren said she has struggled to ‘relax’ since hearing about the new rules.

She said: “It’s upsetting I’m worried about them being cold and getting ill. I can’t relax knowing their stood outside freezing every day.

“Once you’re cold to the bone it can take a long time to get warm again so when they’ve got to go straight back into lessons after being outside it’s difficult for them to concentrate so it will be affecting their education.

“I’m angry the school are doing this. It’s not on.

“I understand them having to spend some time outside but why can’t they eat their lunch inside first?”

Rebecca Phillips, Head Teacher at Woodchurch High School said the rules are due to Covid-19 ‘health and safety’.

In a statement she said: “Our children's education and health is at the core of all our decisions and we are mindful that many of our pupils have had to spend periods of time at home isolating with Covid-19 or due to close contact of a positive case. This is a situation which we are trying to avoid.

“As part of our ongoing Health & Safety assessment, pupils have been assigned outdoor areas for break and lunch periods.

“These have been in place since pupils returned in September 2020 as the risk of Covid-19 transmission is dramatically reduced when pupils are in outside areas.

“There is also a variety of outdoor activities for pupils to access should they wish to.

“In cases of inclement weather, all pupils have been assigned supervised indoor areas which we have used on several occasions this year when the weather has necessitated.

“Pupils are permitted to use the toilets when necessary and other than the main access door to the school which remains closed for Safeguarding purposes, no doors are locked.”