Change to school PE kit, does this sound reasonable?

[lucie8881]

Not sure whether I’m missing something glaringly obvious so I thought I’d see what others opinions are on this. For background, my 2 daughters attend the same high school, one in year 10, the other year 8. The basic PE kit comprises of a polo shirt to be worn with either shorts, tracksuit bottoms or a skort. The skort was introduced three years ago, it’s a short a-line style gym skirt with integrated cycling shorts. All the kit has the school emblem and colours and can only be purchased through one supplier specified by the school. Due to coronavirus precautions in place, on PE days, children are to attend school in their PE kits with their blazer over the top.

At the start of the school year I asked my daughters what their preference was for PE kit and both opted for a skort and a pair of tracksuit bottoms, for when the weather was cooler. However, my eldest DD has had a growth spurt so her tracksuit bottoms are now too small.

During the summer holidays last year a new head teacher came into position, and from the outset he seems to have taken issue with the skorts. On several occasions he has asked girls to pull the skorts down as they are too short. But because of the integrated shorts you can’t really make them longer or shorter.

Then this afternoon I receive an email from the school, addressed to all parents, stating that with immediate effect skorts are not to be worn as it’s been identified as a safeguarding issue.

Now I’ve got just 2 days to get hold of some shorts for my eldest, which irritates me on a few levels. My DD has worn the shorts previously but didn’t like them as the waistband was thick and itchy and the legs were too loose fitting so we’re more revealing than she was comfortable with. Plus they’re not the cheapest and I’m not able to shop around. There’s no point buying anymore tracksuit bottoms as they are standard length and will be far too short.

I just can’t see what safeguarding issue there could be around the skorts? Unless I’m missing something?? My concern is that the change is fuelled by the head teachers own personal views on what is appropriate dress for women/girls.

I’m going to email the school tomorrow to ask whether there has been an incident that I’m not aware of that has led to the change.

Am I being unreasonable for being annoyed by the sudden change to PE kit and missing a genuine safety concern?

Leggings underneath skort.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz That is their wording, I just copied and pasted the email. Initially I didn't blank out the schools name so I had re-post after editing out.

The shorts are generally shorter with the added issue of being loose fitting around the legs. I can't see how they are viewing them as more "appropriate" and fit for purpose?

@lucie8881

Thank you

I'll try again! This is the email from the school:

Good evening

Thank you for your email.

There has not been a specific incident with regards to the skorts, however a number of the skorts are not deemed 'appropriate' to be worn around school. Pre covid, students would spend the majority of the day in school uniform, only wearing their PE kit for PE lessons. Students are now spending all day, walking up and down stairs, sitting in lessons etc. Through no fault of any child or family, the skorts do not fit as well as the PE shorts.

If your daughters do not have a pair of the School shorts, then these can be lent from Mrs X's office. These shorts are new and have not previously been worn.

I hope this clarifies any concerns you may have had, however please get in contact again if you have any further concerns.

Best wishes

If it's not too identifying (able to hide logo, not a very u usual colour) could you post a pic of the skort and shorts for comparison?

I honestly can't see how shorts fit better than skorts, or what issues there are with skorts that don't arise with shorts regardless of walking up and down stairs or sitting down.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

Are the shorts longer? No one wants to see any arse cheeks at work, be they male/female/young/old.

Why is there always the assumption that arse cheeks are on display?

It's not an always assumption. But athletic skorts are very very short. They are meant to be.

Some actual teachers on this thread have said that they see arse cheeks hanging out of skorts.

I don't understand the restrictions nonsense? Aren't they in bubbles anyway? It doesn't make any sense.
That aside, does the uniform supplier have the school badge available for you to sew onto some other shorts/tracksuit bottoms/leggings? Or maybe wear leggings with the shorts?
My son's primary has the badge available for bags etc.

My DD (18) has been wearing a skort for games at school since she was 10, in a co-ed school. There have never been any problems, the only instruction from the school, is that track suit bottoms are worn going into lunch, but that also applies to boys in shorts.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

It's not an always assumption. But athletic skorts are very very short. They are meant to be.

Some actual teachers on this thread have said that they see arse cheeks hanging out of skorts.

And OP says the shorts are even shorter, so how do they solve the problem?

In fairness, now I've put them side by side they look the same length. It might just be the looser fit around the leg that made me think the shorts were shorter.

I've (hopefully) attached a pic of the skort next to the shorts and the skorts undershorts.

@lucie8881

In fairness, now I've put them side by side they look the same length. It might just be the looser fit around the leg that made me think the shorts were shorter.

I've (hopefully) attached a pic of the skort next to the shorts and the skorts undershorts.

Thank you . I really do appreciate it.

Sadly, I wasn't wrong. It's complete bullshit. There's nothing that makes the skort more "arse cheek" risky than the shorts.

Surely you would potentially see more (flesh/bum cheek/whatever) with the looser fit shorts than tight fit shorts plus a layer of skirt...?

I agree with all the other comments, and I think the email on the first page is a good one.

My dds school has a similar issue about skorts - they can’t be worn to and from school, only in PE, and they have to wear tracksuit bottoms on PE days. No idea if that’ll persist over the summer.

I’ve chosen to assume that’s so that all the girls (it’s a girls only comp) look the same, but it could well be for the same idiotic reasoning about the “male gaze”

I wonder where the "bare arse cheeks" / too tight/too revealing/inappropriate posters are now after the pics were posted.

I'm here, and I still work in the same high school, and neither the situation, nor my opinion has changed.

Some girls wear the skorts which are the correct size for them, which is absolutely fine, but other students wear skorts which are 2 or 3 sizes too small for them, which makes the fabric run up, and the skort become so short that you can't see it when they are walking around - the skort becomes shorter then their actual PE polo shirt.

Opinion not changed.

@QwertyGirly

I'm here, and I still work in the same high school, and neither the situation, nor my opinion has changed.

Some girls wear the skorts which are the correct size for them, which is absolutely fine, but other students wear skorts which are 2 or 3 sizes too small for them, which makes the fabric run up, and the skort become so short that you can't see it when they are walking around - the skort becomes shorter then their actual PE polo shirt.

Opinion not changed.

And no student ever wears shorts that are too small for them?

No. The shape of the shorts means that they don't run up so much. The shorts used at our school are like loose fitting football shorts.