Vests under uniforms

[GingersnapBiscuit]

My daughter (4yo) has just started reception. She does a couple of sporty after school clubs and while changing into PE kit for one she was apparently told by her teacher that she should be wearing a vest so as not to have her body on display when changing.

I’m just a bit surprised given how young she is (and also slightly wondering if a boy would have got the same comment). But I’m new to primary school parenting so perhaps this is just standard. Do your young kids wear vests (I suppose specifically if they’re going to be getting changed during the day) for modesty?

Ours didn’t. Nobody comments on underwear.
They have to wear a one piece for swimming that’s it.
DD wears a little crop top or a vest plus shorts now that’s 9- her choice.

In my experience of helping with swimming at my son’s state primary, in reception certainly at this time of year most aren’t wearing vests under their polos. We do have a lot of families who have moved to the uk from hotter countries and their kids do tend to wear vests all year round if not more. My record was one girl in a November session in year 1 who had a vest, a long sleeve thermal type top, and then a sweatshirt under her polo shirt and then the school sweatshirt on top! She must’ve been baking.

Not for modesty, but did for warmth in the winter. Not sure what age it stopped though!

Oh I thought you were going to ask about a vest because of the cold

That was 100% a weird comment. What will happen if a girl shows her tummy?

She'd hate my dd, she went through a phase of lifting her top and showing her tummy to everyone 😭

No, it sounds like a very strange suggestion from a teacher.

Both my boys and girls had vests under there uniform.
And in the winter I change for thermal vests.

My kids wear vests when it’s cold but that’s a bonkers comment from the teacher and I’d be going in and clarifying what was actually said and if actually this then what the heck. Also I’m surprised any primary kids are still changing for PE, all the schools I know the kids just go in in PE kit on PE days.

All my children had vests when they were at school, but I observe that none of my grandchildren do! I think it’s a bit much from that teacher to tell a four year old that they shouldn’t have their body on display - I would have been quite put out by such a remark.

I keep seeing this on MN but our school hasn't had us send the kids in in PE kit for three years or so and it can't be alone in this

No absolutely not at 4. It was 25 degrees here today so they really don’t need any extra layers. And modesty isn’t a thing when they’re that little. Mine only wear them in deepest winter. The teacher sounds BATSHIT and I would complain that a) she’s so weird about little kids’ bodies and b) she implied to your DD that there was something wrong with the way she was dressed. Someone needs to tell her to stop it.

She does go in in PE kit on PE days - this was just when she was changing for a sports after school club.

Thanks for the replies - it struck me as odd too and I may follow up just to understand what messaging is being given to them.

Yeah, agree with above. That was weird! Lots of kids aren’t wearing vests at the moment, it’s too warm!

When I started school in the 90s, we had to wear vests because our “PE uniform” was vest tucked into our tights! Not sure what your daughter’s teacher would have made of that!

Maybe send the teacher a copy of the school's uniform policy 💪🏼

Am a 90s/00s Mum and my children never wore vests! Too much faff and they were never cold . All sounds very strange TBH !