Why do pupils need to take in PE kit and change even when injured and unable to actually do PE?

Our DD's school is pretty sensible about most things but we got this nonsense after a head injury. We just sent her in without her kit and told her to tell the PE staff to contact us if they had a problem with it. The half-term bell saved it from escalating but otherwise I would been very minded to follow advice analogous to "just send in a note/email to say your ds will be relocating to the library for sports lessons until his knee is better rather than indulging their pettifogging rules." Spot on IMHO. And what is this nonsense about it being really bad to "truant" a PE lesson. Oh dear, missed some vital netball theory. Tragedy.

At ds' school if they can't do the lesson they get changed and help with umpiring etc.

You can't just tell your child to go to the library. That's called truanting his lesson.

My son had a knee injury and was on crutches for a while to speed healing. He had to take his pe kit and get changed as that is the school policy. After a week or so I spoke to the school and explained it was painful to bend his knee to get changed and it was unnecessary as he couldn't participate - schools are usually reasonable if you speak to them

Anyone in my tutor group with this problem would have come and sat in on whatever lesson I was teaching and get on with something, or I would give them work to do. If anyone objected I’d have told them to get lost.
However I retired 5 years ago. Schools may be more tyrannical nowadays.

Isn't the obvious solution to ask to keep the PE kit in school somewhere and get a friend to carry it for him on days he needs it?

We do this. She has only done an hour of PE this term, not sure if it will even need washing at half term.

Isn't the obvious solution to ask to keep the PE kit in school somewhere and get a friend to carry it for him on days he needs it?

Or even, if the PE kit could be stored in the PE office?

If all he is doing is sitting still in it for an hour, it won't need to keep coming home to be washed.

It's clearly to stop the situation we used to do:
Cold: yes
Wet: yes
Library: Warm and cosy and I can finish my homework. Good idea.
"Miss I've hurt my left thumb and can't do PE"

I think I understand the reasoning, but I do feel it's hard on the child who genuinely isn't feeling brilliant, for whom a day at school is doable, but sitting freezing on the bench in the rain will actually be quite bad for them. On one occasion it did influence my decision whether to send dc in as they really shouldn't have been sitting outside for nearly an hour in the wet.

"just send in a note/email to say your ds will be relocating to the library for sports lessons until his knee is better rather than indulging their pettifogging rules"

How entitled. I agree with pp that you can learn a lot about PE by watching and umpiring

"just send in a note/email to say your ds will be relocating to the library for sports lessons until his knee is better rather than indulging their pettifogging rules"

Please do not do this. It is totally normal to attend PE even when unable to participate in a physical lesson. PE theory worksheets are one way of keeping them with the PE curriculum, as is observing the practical. Telling your DC to cut a lesson completely, rather than go to adapted lesson, is wrong.

If too unwell to attend lessons at all, then pupil should report to sick room or equivalent and arrange to be sent home.

Twotabbycats
Our school wouldn't make them sit outside in the rain or anything. There's usually 5 or 6 groups for PE so people who are injured will sit inside next to one of the other groups and usually have that time to get on with work.
If they can get changed, we get them to get changed (part of the running a whole school vs one child).
If it's a long term injury then there tends to be an alternative arrangement where they can work outaide a senior leaders office/in the back of another classroom if a teacher has space. In those situations then the child wouldn't get changed.

Without more medical advice, it's hard to know which route a school would take.

And agree definitely get him seen by a physio, especially as he is sporty, they can help him not only to rehabilitate but also (private) to learn to run more effectively and less likely to hurt himself.

Our school has this rule but the exception is if they physically can't get changed eg. Broken leg. If your son struggles with getting changed explain that. If ours can't swim eg. Period, they still need to take PE kit to change into and are given a job to do

Please do take him back and get him seen by a gp, ask about referral to physio at least. I'm still paying the price for not making a fuss about my dodgy knees 3 dislocated kneecaps later, and a lot of pain. Having just soldiered on since being a teen I'm now seeing a wonderful physio who has given simple exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles. It's making a difference but I so wish I'd had it properly looked at earlier.

Is he on crutches? School weren't keen on dd being on the pitch with balls zooming around in case one hit her and did more damage (to be fair she could probably attract a stray ball from 3 miles away so probably a wise assessment). She is hypermobile though and very prone to injury. Ask if they have done a risk assessment. She was finally allowed back and umpiring which she quite enjoyed.

This is so unkind to a kid who is injured - not only does he have to lug the extra weight around, he has to hop around on one leg getting changed and then trek out to the rugby pitch and sit/stand there in the rain? All when he's supposed to be resting his leg! Believe me this stuff is painful and difficult with an injury and does not promote healing. I would be complaining to the school.

I would just tell them he's not doing PE, you have taken medical advice and therefore he isn't bringing his kit in. I would back our school on most things but this rule is ridiculous. Thankfully our school doesn't have this rule.

Remember it isn't just your one child, it is managing a whole school.
This is good advice (and something I might steal for future school threads).

just send in a note/email to say your ds will be relocating to the library for sports lessons until his knee is better rather than indulging their pettifogging rules
If there is a library that has a member of staff supervising... which many don't now 🙄

To stop kids faking or trying to get out of PE. We have this policy and it works. Absolutely fine to sit out/not take part in certain aspects with a note, but they need to get changed unless physically unable or unreasonable to.

Remember it isn't just your one child, it is managing a whole school.

Mine had his ankle in a cast as he'd broken it the previous week and still got told he should have his PE kit with him and get changed.

He was in so much pain and struggling to get around on crutches. And it was only transition week...

just send in a note/email to say your ds will be relocating to the library for sports lessons until his knee is better rather than indulging their pettifogging rules.

and tell ds he'd better be in the library! :o

Your poor DS!

Can he leave his PE Kit at school for a bit? After all, it's not like he's actually sweating in it!

If it’s more than a one off & his knee keeps slipping then please go back to the doctor. It’s been nearly 4 years since I first took DD to the doctor for the same reason, but as all they ever saw was the ligament injured as a result of the subluxation that was all they treated. She ended up having an MPFL reconstruction 4 weeks ago as the ligament no longer kept her kneecap in position. They tend to be reluctant to resort to surgery when the child is still growing, but she ended up being referred to a consultant who could see that she couldn’t carry on as she was.

Oh, and until she ended up permanently on crutches in January then she always had to change for PE just to sit & watch!