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Original poster

PE teachers inspecting pupils' feet - Unusual?

116 replies

noverrucasnowadays · 09/03/2020 16:43

Something's just jogged my memories of the verruca checks we had in middle school (in the UK - late 90s/early 00s).

At the start of each new term we all had to sit on the gymhall floor in queues, shuffling forward one by one on our bums to have our feet inspected. The teachers sat on chairs at the head of the hall, wearing gloves, and we had to extend one foot at a time to them for examination.

The context was that all indoor PE lessons were expected to take place barefoot, unless you (at the beginning of term Hmm) had a verruca, in which case you were allowed to wear plimsolls or trainers.

To me it feels (and felt) really quite strange.

For all I know though, it wasn't uncommon at all. Now I'm really curious!

Help me out fellow MNers... Did this happen at any of the schools you attended?

I've NC for this, just in case it turns out that the only UK middle school this happened at was my one!! :). Thanks for your time.

OP posts:
Llareggub · 09/03/2020 16:45

Never happened to me! How bizarre. We did have a Nitty Nora thought.

Sparklyring · 09/03/2020 16:45

We did for swimming in case you needed one of those dreadful socks!! But not general P.E!

WanderingLost1 · 09/03/2020 16:45

I vaguely remember that back at the dawn of time in Australia. Can’t remember whether it was at school or at swimming lessons though.

WanderingLost1 · 09/03/2020 16:46

Oh but we sat on benches by the pool. Not doing a bum shuffle towards teachers on chairs Grin

SkelingtonArgument · 09/03/2020 16:46

They did this in the first year of secondary school for me, 1974. PE done in bare feet (but at least we had very short skirts to wear; in primary school we wore T-shirt & knickers)

DDIJ · 09/03/2020 16:50

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 09/03/2020 16:52

Yup happened to me beginning of each term to all school kids... 1980s!

jay55 · 09/03/2020 16:53

Yes for first couple of years of secondary, late 80s.

fluffiphlox · 09/03/2020 16:53

Yep. I went to a comp with a swimming pool and some poor teacher had that duty. (I’m the 70s).

fluffiphlox · 09/03/2020 16:54

IN the 70s.

lurker101 · 09/03/2020 16:55

Yes mid 00s we had this before school swimming

Rosspoldarkssaddle · 09/03/2020 16:56

Yes and before swimming too

Blobby10 · 09/03/2020 16:57

We had a verruca check every week before we went swimming at primary school- this was the 1970s. if we had a verruca we had to go and get changed and sit on the side of the pool whilst our classmates swam. We could only swim the next week if we had one of those horrible socks on. Don't remember ever being checked when doing PE type stuff in bare feet though Grin

cecinestpasunepipe · 09/03/2020 16:58

Yes, I remember having "foot inspection" in the sixties, also a yearly inspection of our posture to check our shoulders were at the same height ( for scoliosis??) If they weren't, we had to attend "remedials" before school once a week, some sort of physiotherapy execises, I think.

redcarbluecar · 09/03/2020 16:59

In primary school on swimming day our teacher inspected all our feet before we set off for the baths. I bet she so looked forward to that little weekly ritual.

Hobbesmanc · 09/03/2020 16:59

Deffo for swimming. We had to have our plimsolls checked before indoor PE to make sure they wouldn't mark the floor.

bookgirl1982 · 09/03/2020 17:00

Yes termly before gym/dance lessons which were barefoot. Girls school, mid90s

SurpriseSparDay · 09/03/2020 17:00

Oh, was it considered unusual?

Foot inspection at the start of every indoor PE lesson, done by the PE mistress. Mid/late 70s Home Counties.

BreconBeBuggered · 09/03/2020 17:00

Yes. Our PE teachers stayed at their station while we shuffled along then turned around and lifted our feet so that our soles could be inspected. I remember this because I had some weird lump on the back of my heel for ages, and I was terrified they'd draw attention to it. I didn't have any verrucas, and I never did find out what caused the lump, but sporners would have loved it.

monkeypigsysandy · 09/03/2020 17:01

Before swimming - 80's

TwoZeroTwoZero · 09/03/2020 17:03

We had to do it every week before swimming back in the 80s but not for general pe lessons either at primary or high school.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 09/03/2020 17:04

We had verucca checks in the early 80's at my school.

Showers were also compulsory after games and we were made to line up naked in pairs and had to share a cubicle. We were also not allowed to have our towels with us and anyone seen trying to cover themselves up with their arms was humiliated by the teacher.

PE teachers were evil and sadistic in the 80's.

Ydl22 · 09/03/2020 17:05

I had this in the late 80s/early 90s. We had an inspection before swimming and before gymnastics, which we did barefoot.

Pinkflipflop85 · 09/03/2020 17:07

Foot checks before swimming and gymnastics - late 80s/early 90s

SarahInAccounts · 09/03/2020 17:08

1960s we had to before barefoot gym or swimming