WHEN pupils were asked what they most wanted at school they could have chosen the latest plasma screen television, mixing decks or games consoles for their common room.

But the youngsters surprised their teachers — by opting for new toilets.

Now the pupils of George Tomlinson School in Kearsley are flushed with pride after the official opening of the new loos which cost £124,000.

Members of the school’s student council started asking for new toilets last year after gathering the views of other pupils.

Fifteen-year-old Fay Disley, a member of the student council, said: “The old toilets were not at all nice. Nobody liked them. It is so great to have new toilets.

“We were asked as a student council what we would want most, and we asked for new toilets over anything else. They were our top priority and we are all really pleased we now have them.”

The children even mentioned the desperate need for new washroom facilities to Ofsted inspectors when they visited the school. In their report of March, 2007, the team of inspectors said: “Toilet provision is unsatisfactory and a major source of complaint from students.”

The school governors authorised the new toilet facilities at Easter. The pupils and staff contributed to the final design, which met all the Government’s latest recommendations as outlined in its Bog Standard Campaign in which ministers stated “If you get toilets right, you get the teaching right”.

The toilets feature the latest in toilet technology too, giving pupils some of the fanciest loos in town. The school’s business manager, Gary Hellawell, said: “We were expecting them to ask for computer equipment or something like a Wii which, in a way, I suppose they did!

“The result is modern facilities equal to the best that can be publicly found, at considerably less than the budgeted cost, and are greatly appreciated by pupils. They are checked hourly and cleaned twice daily.”

Fay added: “It is good that teachers listen to us. The new toilets have made the school much nicer for everyone.”