Year 2 child asked to change in school for P.E

[Samanthajamesjones]

So my child is going into Year 2 and we've been told to send in a P.E kit to leave in school for him to change in and out of when they have P.E. Its a mixed gender school. Would this be considered normal? My nephews at a different school and they wear a P.E kit into school on days they do P.E.

Just find the idea of my child changing in their underwear in a classroom of other boys and girls a bit strange. Id much rather he wore it in so he isn't getting changed plus I can wash it at home too.

Anyone experience this?

Very normal. Mine changed at school from reception class onwards. Split into boys & girls from year 3 onwards. Kit sent home every half term to wash.

It’s normal but less common since covid as most schools now get children to go in in their PE kit on PE days.

Once they get a bit older they will probably split it into boy / girl changing areas.

Normal
They will probably soon split the boys and girls changing area

Totally normal in year 2. Some schools have the kids wear their PE kit all day on PE days, but that's purely down to not wasting lesson time on getting everyone changed. I've worked in primary schools for years and it's incredible how long it takes a class of 30 kids to get changed, especially in the winter with tights and layers to deal with!!

Usually by year 5 the boys and girls get changed in different classrooms. There's nothing wrong or weird about a load of 6 year olds getting changed in front of each other! They're usually far too interested in sorting themselves out to even look at anyone else!

Pre Covid the idea of going into school in PE kit did not exist and the school implemented separate changing areas

I susoect more now are moving back to this

My son's school had them go in PE kit on PE days in reception but that was mainly a time saving exercise as it took them so long to change etc but now he's going into Year 1 he has to take a pe kit in on a Monday, change for pe, and bring it home on a Friday to wash etc!
Totally normal from what I'm aware of

Did you not go to school op? This has always been the case until covid and then some schools never made the switch back. But lots are probably starting to.
I think upper primary it's good to have separate changing areas but 6 year olds are not going to know or care. It's weird to make it a thing!

Yes normal from year 1 where I live.

Perfectly normal. At least they no longer make kids do PE in vest and knickers like in my day!

Totally normal, unless the changing needs to involve taking their pants off, but presumably they aren't swimming so that shouldn't be an issue.

You must be similar age to me 😅Anyone who forget their PE stuff having to do it in vest and knickers!

It is perfectly normal to change into PE kit at school. It was only during covid this changed.

I'd refuse to allow this for my child. They cannot force you.

Simply tell them that you'll either send your child in PE kit or that they'll need to be taken to a separate area to change.

You'll get a load of people telling you they did PE in their knickers in the 70s and it's fine, but that's up to them. That was more than 50 years ago, times change.

It’s 50/50 between changing at school and wearing a kit in.

the latter makes so much more sense though.

it’s a nightmare getting 30 kids changed for PE, and more than half of them even in year 2 need assistance with fastenings and getting things the right way around. Massive waste of learning time.

I didn't even get the option to wear PE kit in year 2! We all had to do it in vest and pants. Urgh.

Normal. In the school I used to teach at, the children would all get changed together in the classroom in year one and two. By year 3, schools should implement separate changing areas. Most schools had children come in PE kit during Covid times and found it much easier and so have kept that going but some have gone back to having them get changed at school. I can see both sides. It’s alarming how many children can’t dress themselves so it’s a skill they get to practise at school. On the other hand, it is sooo much easier to have them ready for PE and not have to faff with changing which can take forever and items inevitably get lost

Practise with them now so that when they take their uniform off the lay it down in front of them or over a chair (they usually get changed in the classroom at their desks) get them to put their socks inside their shoes. Also the reverse, take off your PE top and put it into your bag immediately. In the school I was in Year 3 they are usually still together, mixed sex. Year 4 is when they are separated into their sex for changing. And weirdly year 3 they are all pretty much changing without a second thought and suddenly year 4 seems to be the turning point.

Thinking ahead if your child's school does swimming this usually starts in year 3 so they will be naked and in a communal changing room with their class. Figure out a way your child feels comfortable getting dry and dressed. A lot of girls wear a one piece under their uniform, this is problematic if they need the loo before swimming and knickers are often forgotten.

As a public service announcement, put a spare pair of underwear and socks into a bag inside their school bag just in case and also one inside their swim bag as knickers/pants are usually what they drop on the floor where all the water is in the changing room.

It was normal when I was in primary school, normal when my daughter was in primary school and, except during covid, normal for my grandchildren when they were at primary school. When I was a Reception teacher they had to change for PE. It took most of the lesson but I taught them to do it and considered it to be part of their physical development.

My DD's school has reception changing because it's part of the curriculum but other years come in. But they all used to change before COVID.

Unfortunately, this is normal. Younger children are all expected to change in the classroom together.

Completely normal. My school doesn't do the going in in PE kit thing thank goodness.

What do you think will happen to a 7 year old girl if a 7 year old boy sees her knickers?

When I was teaching it was the norm up until around year 4/5 to change in class. I think probably key stage 2 is more commonly separated now but that’s mainly because children are entering puberty at a younger age. Year 2 would be quite normal I think but post Covid quite a few schools decided it was much easier not to bother with the changing (and subsequent trying to find James’ lost sock!).

Very very very very normal.

In my cough years of teaching I have never known a child in year 3 or below bat an eyelid about getting changed for PE in the classroom.

No different to children wearing swimming costumes.

Please let's not sexualise little bodies or try and foist adult opinions into their heads at such an early age.

And PLEASE NAME (not initial) every item of clothing, and check the plimsolls still fit when the kit comes home.

Entirely normal (with a blip of not doing it during and post covid).

when I taught year one after a few weeks the whole class could change in 3 minutes - I set a timer for them. It’s a useful life skill! Beach trips, sports clubs, sleepovers- all require changing with others. There was one time though when a child helpfully ‘tidied up’ when he came back to go to the loo and put all the uniforms in a pile - and most weren’t named.

I've never heard of children wearing PE kit for the whole day. They'd come home sweaty and smelly?

Of course they get changed. I'm sure they do it in single sex groups. And they're not getting naked!