New Perth High School WILL have separate boys and girls toilets

The Courier

21 hours ago

Families have been assured the new Perth High School WILL have separate boys and girls toilets when it opens on Thursday.
Head teacher Martin Shaw has confirmed the school is making alterations to provide fully single-sex facilities.
It follows concerns about the impact of a recent Court of Session ruling that Scottish schools must provide separate male and female toilets.
Perth and Kinross Council said last week it was still awaiting Scottish Government guidance on the schools under its control.
These included the £80 million Perth High School, which was designed with a mix of single-sex and gender-neutral toilets for up to 1,600 pupils.
Mr Shaw has written to parents and carers, clarifying the arrangements for toilets at Perth High School ahead of the start of term.
He says there has been 'considerable interest' in the issue.
And he explains: 'While the new Perth High School was originally designed to allow fully-enclosed unisex toilet cubicles, there is scope to alter this arrangement to provide fully single-sex facilities, which we have done.
'We already have designated male/female public toilets on the first and second floor in our new school.
'This is an area that was designed to be mixed, but with separate designated space, on the ground floor. This area is being altered.'
Mr Shaw also assures families: 'As a school we take the safety and wellbeing of our pupils extremely seriously and always work to allay any concerns our young people and their parents or carers may have.'
Perth and Kinross Council previously said it had nine schools with mixed-sex facilities.
They include Bertha Park High School, which opened in 2019, and was built with gender-neutral toilets.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: 'While the new Perth High School was originally designed to allow fully enclosed unisex toilet cubicles, the design arrangements have allowed the provision of fully single-sex facilities.
'There will therefore be separate facilities for both male and female pupils when the school opens to pupils later this week.'
April's Court of Session judgment was made in a case brought against Scottish Borders Council by parents concerned about a new primary school that had been built with only gender-neutral toilets.
The decision came after the UK Supreme Court unanimously ruled a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.
Following the Supreme Court judgment, the Equality and Human Rights Commission issued an interim update on its guidance.
It said: 'Schools must provide separate single-sex toilets for boys and girls over the age of eight.
'Pupils who identify as trans girls (biological boys) should not be permitted to use the girls' toilet or changing facilities, and pupils who identify as trans boys (biological girls) should not be permitted to use the boys' toilet or changing facilities.'
Calls to ban unisex toilets in schools have been made previously after an incident at a secondary school in Dundee.
A 15-year-old boy was charged in connection with voyeurism in December 2024.
A female pupil reportedly found a phone hidden – with the camera switched on – inside a toilet roll holder.
The device was said to contain hundreds of videos and images of naked girls.