AIBU to think it’s ridiculous secondary school pupils going to school in PE kit?

[Tengreenbottles2]

I can understand why they did it during Covid, and I can see why it’s more practical in primary schools, especially little kids, when they take ages to dress themselves and the schools don’t always have dedicated changing rooms. But why on earth are some secondary schools still making pupils come to school in PE kit, long after the pandemic is over?

Not being funny, but the kids who really make an effort in sports must stink for the rest of the day. Not to mention getting muddy etc. I wonder how many teenagers make less effort in games because they don’t want to be smelly for the rest of the day..?

I understand your points completely but I personally love it as we haven’t lost any kit for a whole year! Yes, it must stink in the classes after Games though…

I'd rather they were sweaty, muddy and free of having to strip or shower. HTH

It's a cost saving thing for schools. If they aren't getting changed then you don't need to worry about staffing ratios of the correct sex for the changing rooms, you can just employ x number of 'pe teachers' as opposed to x male and x female teachers.

Is this your child’s school or have you observed?

Ours have been able to wear it everyday in the summer term not just on PE days, much more comfortable for them.

I think my two secondary schoolers must be in the only two schools in the city that make them go in and get changed for Pe.

See hoards of teens in some rather horrible
colour trackies walking to school
most days

The opposite happens at DDs school...

She had Dance, lunch, PE.
They had to change back into uniform for lunch.

But today, for Sports Day, they wore kit all day. Not space for them all to change.

I wish our school would do it. So much better going in their kits.

The fact there are less items lost and less things to carry and lug round school all day

Our school does it but have the games lesson as last lesson always. So they don’t stink in class after

I would be 100% in favour of them wearing PE kit all the time. Practical, no blazers dragging in science experiments or art work. Comfortable temperature, no ironing required. Current blazer and tie get up is uncomfortable, impractical and bears no relation to the majority of work roles.

@MojoDojoCasaHouse

The girls pe uniform here is totally impractical for wear except for in high summer though unless school is heated to Caribbean temperatures, they would freeze! Skorts which are very short or basically glorified knickers it seems, when did school shorts get that short! Tops do not meet the bottoms either it seems. They are allowed to wear it on warm days and (my kids are grown) we see them go past the shop, we are actually a bit shocked kids are allowed to wear such clothes.

Daughter's school let them go in in PE kit if they have it first period, or go home in it if they have it last period which I think is an OK middle ground.

i have seen a couple of schools, i assumed it was sports day as this was two separate days, and back to normal the next day

I wonder how many teenagers make less effort in games because they don’t want to be smelly for the rest of the day..?

Probably none at all if they've ever met a bottle of deodorant.

DH works in an all boys' school. He, and all the other teachers, were so relieved when showers after PE came back - combined with the kids staying in one classroom all day, he said the smell was often pretty unbearable.

On DH's behalf, I feel I need to emphasise that he felt that the smell by 3pm of 30 14 year old boys who had been running around in the morning was in no way improved by them all having sprayed themselves with various aerosols.

Our school can go in in PE kit if first period but need to change after, likewise if last period they can come home in PE kit but need to be in uniform for the day.

Very difficult to monitor/supervise changing rooms adequately. Huge amount of bullying happens in changing rooms (and vaping....)

Also some kids used to leave their kit just sitting in lockers for weeks on end getting mouldier and mouldier - at least this way they're forced to take it home!

I wonder how on earth they staff this?! What do the PE staff do for the rest of the day if the whole school have PE at the end of the day? And how do they fit the whole school in the hall/gym etc?!

@modgepodge probably a different year each day? My DS only does PE once a week.

They also aren't allowed to use the showers - they're for sixth form only 🤢

At least my child can have a couple of days feeling comfortable rather than being in shirt and tie. Although they still have to wear their monstrosity of a blazer over the top of PE uniform 🙄

I really wouldn't have liked that. I remember being tackled in the mud in rugby lessons - I really wouldn't have wanted to be in that kit all day.

I assume they take in different shoes? We had studs that obviously couldn't been worn throughout the school. We'd still have ended up carrying round a boot bag with shin pads and football boots in it.

Getting changed for PE doesn’t necessarily mean stripping or showering… I never once showered after PE when I was at school, and everyone was adept at changing discretely so you showed an absolute bare minimum of skin/underwear…

Ours let them wear PE kit every day when it's hot. Once the decision is made to allow, they don't go back just be a use the weather turns cold (like it has). Nothing g to do with changing facilities

My children are much more active now they’re allowed to wear smart PE stuff all day and sometimes in the Summer too. They’re so comfortable they’re like happy skipping and jumping lambs. 😂 (laughing because if they knew I said this I would be in trouble!!)

also teasing has significantly reduced too.

They dont whiff that bad. And even if they did it’s preferable to bullying, feeling uncomfortable and moping around