Secondary school pe timetable and washing

[Tired7561]

My DC starts secondary school this week, like everyone spent a fortune on all the logo'd uniform. Looked at her timetable when it was uploaded today and she has pe or dance on 4 consecutive days presumably like primary school pe will be outside until the weather is really bad. I haven't got a tumble dryer get her pe kit washed and dry in the evening. I imagine by 4 that pe kit isn't going to smell great, especially if there's anything like football on the grass etc. The polo, jumper & leggings cost around £50 so getting a second kit isn't a small thing, but is this really the expectation? Or am I missing some easy solution here?

Find out if the school has a second hand sale, and stock up on more PE kit - you'll need it anyhow as it's likely stuff will mysteriously go missing from time to time.

One of those heated airer things might help. And if the kit is in technical fabrics, it'll dry really quickly even if all you can do is put it over a radiator.

When I was at school in the 60s we only took our kit home in the holidays! DS played football three times a week so I stocked up on second hand kit at the school sale. When he went to uni he only washed his kit when he brought it home in the vacations.

We have same issue here. My 14 Yr old son last year had PE 3 days in a row and was coming home with his kit covered in mud after football on the field. I was having to wash and dry it daily and scrubbing the mud off his boots. He did help but still annoying especially when you've not done with work until after 6 and there's not much night left!

I've got my dd one "nice" pe kit and a spare secondhand kit for when it isn't dry in time.

That's my thinking, by the time we're back from work, dinnered and sorted there's no chance of laundry. I wouldn't mind if it wasn't so expensive, we've just spent over £200 on everything for secondary school so another £50 is pushing it but I think 2 sets is the only way really

Wow, mine get PE once a week!

DS has 5 sets of PE kit but the only branded item is the technical polo top. He'd never have gotten away with just 1 set though and that's with a tumble dryer, sorry.

@Tired7561 your school sounds very similar to ours. The uniform prices are crazy and they do not allow any unbranded PE kit. I refuse to pay another £50 for a second set of just top and shorts.
Saying that though my daughter is just going into year 9 and she has only done football or hockey a few times so far so her kit stays much cleaner and I don't wash it every time it's worn. I give it a sniff lol and if it smells fine then she wears it again
This year is going to be even worse as he has chosen PE as a GCSE option so has it most days!

Contact the school to ask if they have a 2nd hand sale, or if thy sell off the masses of unclaimed lost property they gain.

When I went in to my ds's school after he'd lost his 3rd set of PE kit by October, the lovely TA tool me to a full sized room with cupboards all the way round, absolutely stuffed full with unnamed PE kit and school uniform that she'd collected each week from round the school, washed, dried and folded ready for use. She simply gave me an armful and told me to come back if ever I needed more. She was glad of the space.

Or ask on local FB group if anyone has any outgrown / spare kit you could have or buy 2nd hand.

Are all for classes, activities which will get muddy? maybe one is football and one is gymnastics?

Take it to the launderette to dry.

My sons pe kits comes out the machine almost dry. Its like a magic material.

@Tired7561

"That's my thinking, by the time we're back from work, dinnered and sorted there's no chance of laundry"

I'd get my daughter to have the kit ready to go in the machine as soon as you walk in from work, put it on a quick wash, and then it's ready to stick over the radiator or airer by the time dinner is finished.

Alternatively she can wash it herself when she gets in from school but realistically that probably won't happen.

Having said all that, it won't need washing every day unless it gets muddy. Every weekend is enough. Most teenagers don't even bring it home and leave it their lockers (or regularly lose it)!

I wash and dry overnight on my heated airer. I also don't have a tumble dryer. Agree with a pp, most pe kits seem to be very quick drying material.

Could your DC were a plain white undershirt or t shirt under the actual pe kit ...that might keep it fresh for a second wear as long as it's not muddy

My dd put hers on a 20 minute wash when she got home from school and it was always dry the next morning.

Isn't there a new law they can ask for more than three logoed items and for secondary that includes a tie? Ds has PE twice a week logo tshirt plain joggers plain trainers etc

*can't ask

Second hand sale for a second set. Each set should be able to do 2 rounds of PE (is she using deodorant?)

Wash both the night after her second round of PE to have clean for next 2 days

To dry - hang in a warm room / above a radiator, it will dry overnight. Man made sports kit dries much quicker than cotton etc

Is dance the same kit? Ours wear black t shirt & leggings for dance

And if there isn’t a second hand sale for a while - get in touch with whoever runs it via the PTA, they will likely have a stash they can rummage in for you in the meantime