On campus
Toilet Talk: Flushing out better school loos
11.00 AM to 1.00 PM
Sat 30 May, 2026
This event is part of the York Festival of Ideas 2026
School toilets are often overlooked, yet they significantly impact children's health, well-being, and daily school experience.
Researchers at York St John University have found that 78 per cent of pupils have avoided using school toilets and 52 per cent have stopped drinking at times to avoid using them. Researchers want to improve school toilets for everybody.
The Toilet Talk project invites the public to engage with this under-discussed topic through this interactive, family-friendly event. Visitors will explore our findings through posters and information sheets before stepping into life-size cardboard toilet models. These immersive installations invite participants of all ages to share experiences and suggestions by adding sticky notes to the ‘walls’. What do you dislike? What would make the perfect school toilet? Every voice matters.
Lego building stations will encourage creative thinking, helping children and adults design and re-imagine school toilets through play.
With consent, all contributions (written reflections, drawings, and photographs) will support York St John’s ongoing research to shape recommendations for improving school toilet provision.
Join us to share your thoughts and help transform one of school life's most neglected spaces.
NO BOOKING REQUIRED
More event details
Lord Mayors Walk
York
YO31 7EX