Wearing PE kit to school

[DappledThings]

Our primary school (DC are 8 and 9 in years 3 and 5) have decided that from next term they will be doing what I know a lot of other schools do and spending all day in PE kit on PE days.

I hate this for multiple reasons so if you already do this and you don't hate it please can you explain why as I can't see past the extra hassle it is for me and I'm fairly pissed off with it.

1 - I have had to order extra kit. If they are wearing it all day they will get food down it and it will need to be washed every day so I now need duplicate kit for when one set is in the wash. Previously it just came home on Fridays so easy to wash at the weekend

2 - I have to remember every day who is wearing what and tell DC. Minor but just another thing to remember in the morning rush I could do without

3 - Both have a sports based after school club once a week on non-PE days. This used to not matter because they just changed into the kit that was already on their pegs. Now it's a day they have to go in uniform and remember their kit that I've had to give an additional wash to. So three different routines in one week.

4 - they will just look scruffy 2 days a week in a mishmash of blue and black joggers and hoodies and whatever else vaguely PE related people.chose to send their children in wearing.

It just seems like a massive hassle the school are putting on us to save themselves a few minutes of chivvying the class into changing quicker.

At 8 and 9 they shouldn’t be getting filthy. I have an 8 year old. And unless it’s really filthy it doesn’t really matter if they have a bit of pen on a top. Much prefer it here.

DS's school did exactly that.

Uniform now is black joggers/trousers/skirt/shorts, white or red polo shirt, t-shirt or shirt, and a black, white or red jumper/cardigan/hoodie/sweatshirt.

Shoes are primarily black with no large logos.

A lot of parents kicked off massively. Two of the other primary schools locally are blazers and kilt type uniforms so people said the kids would look shit in comparison. However, two years in and even the most vocal ones have had to admit it works well.

Even with varying choices the kids actually look more uniform than previously as they all stick to the colour scheme. There is far less clashing between kids/parents and the school over clothing, and it's ideal for the parent of any child with sensory issues as you can try to find what works in a much larger pool of options.

The local high school (coincidentally the HT there is the husband of DS's HT 😂) are bringing it in from September. Again parents are kicking off, but a lot of people are also really looking forward to it.

I'm in Australia. Here state schools don't do a PR kit. Kids just wear a comfortable uniform that's suitable for kids to play, learn and be active. Usually joggers / shorts / skorts with a polo and jumper when it's cold.

there are so many advantages - not having to wonder which day it is to take or wear kit / kids are always comfortable for all kinds of movement / kids don't necessarily sweat more in 30 minutes of PE than 30 minutes of running around or playing soccer at break or lunchtime.

we don't waste any time getting changed in and out of clothes - that must take half the PE lesson!

Ours never did it even in covid so I have no experience yet of this faff at all

Once you get used to it you'll realise it's really no faff at all.

And it's much better for the school - they lose so much less time faffing with changing.

At my child’s school they can wear their PE kit if they have sports club after school as well. This means my child only wears school uniform once a week which we both love , my child because PE kit is more comfortable and me because I have less ironing.

I’d like this but that’s because both my kids hated getting changed at school, our school doesn’t separate them it’s just boys at one end girls at the other end of the class. My kids hated it (our school makes them change at school they aren’t allowed to wear PE kit to school)

I loved it. My dc loved it too so they would always remember when it was their turn to wear pe kit, although i used to put the info on the fridge as well just in case.

My dc are in secondary school now and my youngest now hates PE because he has to get changed. He struggles with getting changed quickly as well so he has had 2 detentions this term for being late to his next lesson.

This is hassle you have to deal with for your kids imagine having to get 30 kids changed and redressed … it’s really not a hardship for you x

We much prefer it, my son wears his PE kit twice per week, we just buy less normal uniform. He is so much happier in his PE kit as it's comfy and warmer at this time of year and he loves wearing his PE shorts in the summer. At 8 & 9 they should be able to remember what days they have PE themselves, I never have to remind my son, he reminds me! As for the extra after school activity, can you still just leave it on their peg? I wouldn't bother washing that ever week as they must only be in it for an hour.

I love a Thursday PE Kit day. Loads better than them losing bits when they are getting changed together. My kids school aren't too fussy though, so it is really just an easy leggings, t shirt and hoodie day. It means I only need 4 Polo shirts a week too.

I love it. I have a note on the fridge of who’s PE day is what and I lay it out the night before. They do PE once a week so it’s not a big deal

I personally think it’s a good idea less likely to loose jumpers/t-shirts/leggings ect or come home with someone else's clothing by accident if they are wearing the same set of clothes for the entire day.

Mine do this. We have 2 pe days and 2 kits. It’s great. Much more comfy and I don’t GAF about them ‘looking smart’ they are little kids

I love them wearing PE kits all day. More comfy for them, less ironing for me and no more having to pack an extra bag or hunt around school for lost items.

I get the frustration of having to buy more uniform now, it would have been better if they’d warned parents at the end of last year and implemented it from September so you could have got three uniform sets and two PE kits then.

I line all uniform up in the wardrobe in day order so they know what to get out and put on each morning, but they’re usually good at remembering which days they have PE anyway.

I love it!

It makes so much sense not to waste valuable school time waiting for everyone to get changed.

You don't end up with bits of uniform getting lost during the change.

It's better for the DC as they get older and don't want to get changed at school/in front of their friends/in a cold classroom.

It makes much more sense for primary age children to be comfortable and in clothes they can move around in than 'looking smart'. Looking smart should not be a concern for your primary age children. If it were up to me they'd wear PE kit all week.

WRT your concerns:

Yes, the initial outlay is annoying particularly when they're introducing it midway through the year so you've probably already bought enough normal uniform for the week.

We have who is wearing what on our weekly timetable on the fridge, but tbh the DC remember themselves within a couple of weeks. DC are 8 and 5.

Ditto remembering the PE kit for after school club. It's on the timetable, but they're good at remembering within a few weeks.

Looking scruffy is a stupid thing to worry about when we're talking about primary age children. They're there to learn. Perhaps the school can enforce a stricter PE uniform policy if it's a real problem? My DC's PE kit is nicer than their uniform tbh (and better because everyone wears the same, there is no boys/girls uniform).

I’ve taught in a secondary where they did it and it was fine. No smellier than any other day!

How long are we talking about? The whole term or 1 week? Yeah, it might be a bit irritating, but looking at the bigger picture how bad and how long is going to affect your life really?

Our school does this and I like it. DS’s PE days are on consecutive days so I bought doubles so he’s got a clean outfit whilst one is in the wash.

He also does a sporty before school club which (thankfully) falls on one of his PE days so he doesn’t need to change.

I put this PE kit days in my phone calendar as a reminder.

No missing PE kit! When he used to have to get changed into PE gear, there was always something being lost not just by him but half the class. So no missing items of clothing which is a bonus.

Get a grip.

I wish DS's school did this; it's very sensible - especially when all children are expected to get changed in front of each other in the classroom. (Perhaps not such an issue for younger children, but I don't think yr 5 and 6 girls, some of which will have their periods already, should have to get changed in front of boys.)

Saying this, PE was only a max of twice a week, the school has no real grass (so no possibility of getting clothes muddy or grass stained), and DS's uniform never has food stains on it. So I can understand why, in your situation, the kids may need more than one uniform, which is an added expense everyone can do without. But is it a state school? It's my understanding schools can't specifiy branded uniforms now, so you could get shorts/tracksuit and a polo shirt from Lidl, Primark and the like for a cheap price. As for remembering who is doing what, print a timetable out for each of them and stick it somewhere they look everyday (like wardrobe or fridge). If they get it wrong, they'll face whatever the consequence is at school and will hopefully remember to check and get it right the next time.

Our school allow the kids doing after school sports to wear their kit all day that day too, so check.

I appreciate that it is annoying this time as you've already got enough uniform for those days. But in future you'd just buy more PE kit and less of the normal uniform, so the expense evens out. And you'd be washing uniform on those days anyway, so the washing does too.

I put PE days in the calendar - as I do for all the other stuff - and then it's just checking the calendar rather than remembering.

Mostly works fine. Only gets annoying when they switch the days around last minute.

Kids waste less time on pointless changing at school, they don't have to drag kit to school and back, can't accidentally leave it behind one week so it doesnt get washed, etc.

I've never known any different, but can't see the big deal. Change of routine is always irritating/an adjustment, btbtheees always a silver lining.

Agree.

I actually wonder if this will make more parents have to teach their own children to get changed - it had reached a point where it was schools teaching many of them.

You are making this into huge mountain out of a very small mole hill. And why are an 8 and 9 year old getting covered in food when they eat?

Here in Brisbane where everyone gets sweaty within 5mins of going outside my teenagers are no more stinky on PE day than any other. They wear fresh uniform everyday as the shifts gets smelly after one wear, even in winter. I love that DS can wear PE clothes all day on OE day, much more comfy and still looks smart. He's quite forgetful so would never bring it home if he had to get changed. DD school insists on them wearing formula uniform to and from school, so her PE clothes sit in her sports bag until she remembers to unpack.
They both could wear their PE clothes twice a week at primary school, the whole school did this, with different days for each year level. They soon learned which day was which uniform even from year 1. A polo shirt and sports shorts don't need to be hung up in a wardrobe imo, we found just shoved in a drawer works fine.
I think you're overthinking it. And who says school aged kids need to 'look smart'. How about they just be comfortable in practical clothes so they can concentrate on their learning.

I have a year 5 child who has to go to school in her PE kit. She’s 10 so I don’t need to remind her when PE is, so that’s not an issue. It’s only black leggings and a white t shirt so I can wash it when she’s home and it dries overnight on the airer. For after school sports clubs on non PE days, she is allowed to wear any top with black leggings so a non issue.

i think wearing the same kit all week for 2 PE lessons and after school sport is a little smelly by the time they’re in year 5, so it’s probably a bit nicer to be able to wash it the same day as the sport.