Changing for PE - mixed class

[mistypeaks]

It's about 8 years since I've posted on MN!!
I have 3 dds
Dd1 is in yr 6 & dd2 in yr5. Not so long back dd2 had a strop in the morning as she couldn't find a crop top and its PE day. She is getting quite busty very early (not through fat - actual boobage poor lamb). I queried why she was so upset. Apparently boys & girls get changed together in the classroom and she feels uncomfortable. I asked dd1 if her year still get changed together and yes they do. She now professes to feel uncomfortable (she could be jumping on a bandwagon - it's in her nature, but in this instance I'm giving her leeway). I have spoken to dd2s teacher. I am the 4th parent to comment. On the face of it she seems sympathetic but "hands tied". Dd2 and a couple of other girls are allowed to hide behind a book trolley!?
Now I'm generally not a cotton wool parent, and don't like to put adult issues and body shame onto kids, but my hackles are up. If my dds say they are uncomfortable then that's all I need to hear. Am I over sensitive? Should i be speaking to the head (although I'm 99% sure it will do no good.)

That's a good point about the bullying Witchend, I think because the girls in my kids' school were split over several places, they were in much smaller groups which made it less of an issue. The female TA would keep an eye on them too.

It's very difficult when many primary schools were built decades ago and simply do not have the space/layout to easily accommodate separate changing spaces. That said, however, I think it's unreasonable to expect certainly Yr 6, and almost certainly y5 to change together, and therefore a solution must be found - staggered changing times/using toilets/spare classrooms etc.. In a two-form entry school there might be the option of splitting with the parallel class, if their PE slots are adjacent. Yes, it's a pain, but I think it's a necessary one.

My Year 4s are completely oblivious to it all. They wander around in their underwear or less chatting to each other when they're meant to be getting a move on. I always make sure I close the blinds though, if they're changing at the end of the day, as parents are wandering past outside.

DD's school decided a couple of years ago that the pupils would just come in wearing their kit on PE days. Has its own pros and cons, obviously, but does get round this issue and means they get more time actually doing PE rather than changing
What a brilliant solution

I have spoken to head of year over the phone this evening. She offered absolutely no solutions, merely excuses. She is going to speak to dd2 on Monday. On reflection, after putting down the phone I'm really not sure this is good enough. Unfortunately I feel like crap today (some virus thing) and had taken pain killers before the call. I really am not on top form. I think I may have to wait until Monday and review. This school seems to wriggle out of things constantly. I may well need full faculties, a list of arguments and support. Actually quite annoyed at myself.

You should definitely write to the head teacher; I can't believe at that age the school still wants them to change together. My daughter in year 4 has not mentioned anything but they are still young.

Honestly I feel that on PE days kids should be allowed to go wearing PE and wear it all day. That's what I did when I was at primary and secondary but didn't grow up in this country

As a teacher I can say it has its pros and cons and that there is no legal obligation in primary school for boys and girls to change separately. Yes, it can make some children feel uncomfortable but then it's hard to monitor one group of the children when they get changed separately and this can lead to issues like time wasting, disruptive behaviour and even bullying.

With that said I've always let my class get changed separately with the understanding that it's a privilege, not a right, and that it can be taken away if I can no longer trust them to behave. Thankfully I have never had to do that.