My pupils were afraid to raise their hands

At 09.10am on a recent Tuesday, I walked past the busiest room in my school.

Not a classroom, the assembly hall, or even the canteen.

No, our school’s laundry room.

I could hear the washing machine humming steadily inside and then I spotted the parent of a Year 5 pupil washing their child’s PE kit. It made me so happy.

For these families, that half hour of washing is more than just practical help – it’s a small moment of relief, and a chance for their child to feel prepared and ready to learn in clean clothes.

It’s moments like this that I’m glad my school is part of Suds in Schools – a nationwide programme created to combat hygiene poverty by installing washing machines in schools, so families who are struggling can still have access to washing facilities for their clothes, for