Dunblane High School Team - TOM (Time of the month)

Published 16/10/2024.  Last updated 16/10/2024
sourcePractice exemplars schoolHealth and Wellbeing (HWB) categoryInclusion Wellbeing and Equality

Background

In December 2020, Team TOM (Time Of the Month) was started by two senior pupils in Dunblane High School in partnership with the schools Project Lead for Equity. Each year the group has grown with the number of young people increasing year on year – all passionate about removing stigma and normalising periods across the school.

In 2024, the group grew to 24 volunteers - all senior pupils who ensure that period products are available in a wide range of areas across the school. The group speak in classes and assemblies, check when products need resupplied and continually raise awareness around periods as well as being recognisable round the school with their red Team TOM badges.

What was done

Alongside a wide range of period products, young people can also access heat pads to help with cramps. Every teacher across the school now has a period products box within their classroom for pupils to access. The group have encountered a challenge with misuse of period products in the main bathroom but are keen to reintroduce these and the school still has product boxes in every changing room as well as accessible bathrooms.

Beside the school First Aid Kit, sits a Period Kit which is used for school trips and external visits to ensure that young people have access to period products as needed.

The group have created a short, narrated book booklet - Dunblane HS – Team TOM Transition Period Support eBook and delivered this to Primary 7’s in three feeder primary schools to help normalise and destigmatise periods, supporting with transition. The group secured funding which enabled them to create period packs which they gave out as part of the transition programme. A Support for Learning Teacher was instrumental in the creation of this resource and the school found it helped a great deal with the transition into high school.

Improvement questions

  • To what extent do we ensure a dignified approach to periods, and period product distribution across a setting?
  • To what extent do we ensure that any approach we take is linked to wider school priorities and involves the wider school community?

The group have started sharing their work with other schools in the locality and received positive feedback. Young people are more confident, knowledgeable and able to discuss periods without any stigma and embarrassment.

  • S1 pupil quote – “It was really good, they gave lots of information to us before coming to High School and it was good to get the products given to us too.”
  • S1 pupil quote – “Having people who were at High School speak to us was really good as they know what we are going through and have tried to help.”
  • S6 Team TOM pupil quote – “I wanted to sign up to Team TOM to make sure all pupils in the school have access to things they need and make everyone feel comfortable and they have something they can rely on when they have their period.”
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Dunblane High School Team - TOM (Time of the month)

Published 16/10/2024.  Last updated 16/10/2024
sourcePractice exemplars schoolHealth and Wellbeing (HWB) categoryInclusion Wellbeing and Equality

Background

In December 2020, Team TOM (Time Of the Month) was started by two senior pupils in Dunblane High School in partnership with the schools Project Lead for Equity. Each year the group has grown with the number of young people increasing year on year – all passionate about removing stigma and normalising periods across the school.

In 2024, the group grew to 24 volunteers - all senior pupils who ensure that period products are available in a wide range of areas across the school. The group speak in classes and assemblies, check when products need resupplied and continually raise awareness around periods as well as being recognisable round the school with their red Team TOM badges.

What was done

Alongside a wide range of period products, young people can also access heat pads to help with cramps. Every teacher across the school now has a period products box within their classroom for pupils to access. The group have encountered a challenge with misuse of period products in the main bathroom but are keen to reintroduce these and the school still has product boxes in every changing room as well as accessible bathrooms.

Beside the school First Aid Kit, sits a Period Kit which is used for school trips and external visits to ensure that young people have access to period products as needed.

The group have created a short, narrated book booklet - Dunblane HS – Team TOM Transition Period Support eBook and delivered this to Primary 7’s in three feeder primary schools to help normalise and destigmatise periods, supporting with transition. The group secured funding which enabled them to create period packs which they gave out as part of the transition programme. A Support for Learning Teacher was instrumental in the creation of this resource and the school found it helped a great deal with the transition into high school.

Improvement questions

  • To what extent do we ensure a dignified approach to periods, and period product distribution across a setting?
  • To what extent do we ensure that any approach we take is linked to wider school priorities and involves the wider school community?

The group have started sharing their work with other schools in the locality and received positive feedback. Young people are more confident, knowledgeable and able to discuss periods without any stigma and embarrassment.

  • S1 pupil quote – “It was really good, they gave lots of information to us before coming to High School and it was good to get the products given to us too.”
  • S1 pupil quote – “Having people who were at High School speak to us was really good as they know what we are going through and have tried to help.”
  • S6 Team TOM pupil quote – “I wanted to sign up to Team TOM to make sure all pupils in the school have access to things they need and make everyone feel comfortable and they have something they can rely on when they have their period.”
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