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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Primary 5 boys & girls have to change for gym together??

227 replies

Yogagirl17 · 02/06/2011 16:28

DD (10) just been telling me that her teacher makes them all get changed for gym together in the classroom and also that her male teacher stays in the room while they change. Now I just want to say straight out I like and trust this teach and absolutely do not suspect him of anything untoward, other than possibly being a little naive.

Anyway, DD says she is beginning to feel uncomfortable with this and doesn't understand why the boys (and the teacher) can't go to another room while they change. I can't say I blame her and frankly I'm a little surprised this is even happening - surely 10 is old enough that they should be given privacy? I definitely want to say something to the school but trying to gauge how strongly to react. I mean, should I just ask the head teacher if they can change teh current arrangement or do I make a bigger deal of it?

OP posts:

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Yogagirl17 · 03/06/2011 08:31

emptyshell, I've obviously touched a nerve here and I get that it's difficult for the teachers but I think you are being just a little unreasonable - I'm not judging the teacher 'on the contents of his pants'. I think he's a really good teacher. I do not for a second think he personally is doing anything wrong. I just think that once children start to be consious about their bodies they shouldn't be forced to undress in front of members of the opposite sex. I would say the same if it were a female teacher and my DS.

OP posts:

lljkk · 03/06/2011 08:32

Male Teacher in the room shouldn't be an issue, but the boys should ideally be separate from girls. Our boys change in corridor whilst girls change in the room.

The boys don't really like it any better than the girls, Hands Up who has had their boys demand a change from briefs to boxer shorts about this age, because they don't like to think the girls can see anything?

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 08:34

I get your point Yogagirl, but what is a practical solution for a situation at least twice a week? What about mixed-sex after school sports clubs?
How would you feel if the girls changed unsupervised and someone got hurt because of their messing about? Or if bullying started up because no one was around to stop the personal comments about body shapes or BO?

Hulababy · 03/06/2011 08:37

But something should be able to be sorted. Developing girls - and boys - shouldn't be subjected to feeling so uncomfortable like this. And at this age it won't be all children, but definitely some.

Bonsoir · 03/06/2011 08:38

I think mixed sex sports is all wrong, at any age.

Feenie · 03/06/2011 08:40

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 08:41

Even if the ladies played tennis and the chaps played cricket, they'd still have to change Bonsoir. Or are you suggesting different times for PE, which would still require two teachers?

Feenie · 03/06/2011 08:42

Go on then, I'lll bite, although I will probably regret it. 'Wrong' on what grounds, Bonsoir?

mrz · 03/06/2011 08:43

I think the problem is that girls are maturing and developing much earlier ...when I was in primary school I was a little girl (as were the other girls ) we were in many ways more innocent and certainly less developed. Most schools were built for children of my generation and so just don't have the facilities

Bonsoir · 03/06/2011 08:44

Boys and girls don't need the same physical sport in the same way - they get different hormonal rushes from different sports.

I never went to a school where we did mixed sports - the girls in my class did sports with girls from another class while the boys from our class did sports with boys from another class.

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 08:48

We'd have problems with space in that case Bonsoir; one hall, one outside court area, one field. Possible if it's not belting down, or you don't need the same equipment. Impossible if the weather is inclement.

Feenie · 03/06/2011 08:49

But where would you draw a line - what's wrong with mixed sports at 4, 5, or 6 years old?

Are you advocating different sports for different sexes?

Should girls not play football, for example?

I'm glad the world has moved on from your childhood and mine, tbh Bonsoir. We had to sit on the wall of the girls' playground and watch the boys play football in their playground. This was 1970s Wales.

Bonsoir · 03/06/2011 08:50

Admittedly I have scars memories from playing lacrosse in driving snow , undoubtedly due to shortage of facilities. Oh, and swimming in a pool at 13° C...

Bonsoir · 03/06/2011 08:51

My DD is 6 and there have been issues in her class with boys not getting the right physical activities for the past three years. Boys and girls do not follow the same motor skills development trajectory and need different quality and quantity of physical exercise.

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 08:52

In the snow? Good lord, what about Health and Safety?
Oh no, that would never do.

mrz · 03/06/2011 08:53

We had separate sport in grammar school (we actually had a low hedge between the girls playground and field and the boy's side) but in a primary school with a total of 30 pupils everyone joined in

Feenie · 03/06/2011 08:54

Both boys and girls need plenty, and different boys and girls have different physiques.

CrapolaDeVille · 03/06/2011 08:56

I would inform the school that your dd is uncomfortable and that on PE days she will arrive at school in her kit if she can't be supervised by a female member of staff. TBH when I was at school we were unsupervised when changing and expected to behave,.

controlpantsandgladrags · 03/06/2011 08:56

I wouldn't be happy about this. My periods started when I was 10.......I would have been absolutely mortified if I'd had to change in front of boys.

CrapolaDeVille · 03/06/2011 08:57

Children that cannot behave when changing don't get to do PE.

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 08:59

You can't do that Crapola, entitlement to PE is in the NC.
So they have to do it.

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 09:00

Plus, imagine the hours of time wasted trying to work out who did what to whom and how the shoe ended up on the windowledge 4m up.

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Feenie · 03/06/2011 09:01

Indeed. Or there would be certain children who never did PE at all. Ever!

Bonsoir · 03/06/2011 09:02

Children could, of course, come ready dressed for sports and stay in their kit all day, as they do in French schools...

Goblinchild · 03/06/2011 09:03

My son is a PE ninja. I think he's had two lessons since Christmas in Y11.
Now he never need do school PE again, and I keep catching him with a happy, dreamy smile on his face on Tuesdays.

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