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Primary education

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

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Original poster

When should children be separated to change for PE?

47 replies

BlingLoving · 06/09/2019 12:09

I appreciate that views on this will probably vary massively but I'm interested in getting a sense. DS in Y4 tells me they change for PE in the same classroom. The school is small and doesn't have actual changing rooms, so I do understand the challenge, but I'm not actually very comfortable with this. DS himself doesn't mind as such but he IS beginning to be body conscious and will also notice other children so quite frankly, I don't want him looking or commenting on the girls. Some of the children are close to 9 so it's not inconceivable that early signs of puberty might be starting.

Should I say something to the school or am I being a bit silly? I do know that in year 5 I'd be very hesitant and in year 6 I'd consider this completely unacceptable.

OP posts:

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chillandrelax · 06/09/2019 12:10

In my experience in usually starts in Y5.

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2019 12:11

I think it’s usually year 5..

PurpleDaisies · 06/09/2019 12:12

Year 5

SocksRock · 06/09/2019 12:12

Y5 and 6 at our school.

JoJoSM2 · 06/09/2019 12:15

I suppose Y4 is on the cusp - children begin to notice things are there might be some very early signs of puberty. Y5 definitely time to separated.

RedskyLastNight · 06/09/2019 12:20

It was Year 3 at my DC's school.
My DD (and others) had starting developing in Y4, so any later would have been too late.

aprovinciallady · 06/09/2019 12:22

At our school the boys and girls go to other sides of the classroom to change. However apparently there is a Y4 boy who feels like a girl so they change with the girls. I think they are in separate rooms for Y5 onwards.

CoastalWave · 06/09/2019 12:23

Year 5 (I'm a teacher and it's normal in Year 4)

I might just add though. I'm in the room and honestly, no child is bothered at all about what anyone else is doing! They just get changed.

Why has it even been raised as an issue? Just tell your son to get on with it!

DCIRozHuntley · 06/09/2019 12:23

There's no law but the NSPCC suggest separate areas after year 2 I think. I know toilets have to be single sex from 8 years old.

TeenPlusTwenties · 06/09/2019 12:25

If your DS doesn't mind then don't say anything to the school yet.
But do tell your DS that some others (girls especially) may be self conscious as they start to develop and he is NOT to look or make comments.
Our primary separated from y5, but did allow some separated changing in y4 if the particular class needed it.

PreppingPrat · 06/09/2019 12:27

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

TeenPlusTwenties · 06/09/2019 12:27

However apparently there is a Y4 boy who feels like a girl so they change with the girls.

If my daughter was in y4 I would not be happy with this. The child should be changing separately or with their own sex (who have the same bodies). The school should not be trampling on the privacy / dignity / feelings of the girls.

ShadyLady53 · 06/09/2019 12:29

I’m a council approved chaperone for child performers. In my LA children over the age of 5 are to change in separate areas. Sometimes this means that they are in separate dressing rooms, other homes they have screens or curtains put up if it’s not possible to guarantee separate rooms. I think 5 is very young to start separating children but in schools Yr 5 seems very late. I’d reached puberty by nine and had been wearing a bra for a year. No way would I have felt comfortable changing in front of boys.

ShadyLady53 · 06/09/2019 12:29

Other times not homes!

eddiemairswife · 06/09/2019 12:34

I used to just let the girls who wanted to go and change in the toilets.

paxillin · 06/09/2019 14:44

Ours started in year 4.

Original poster

BlingLoving · 06/09/2019 15:00

Okay,thank you. Really helpful. Appears year 5 onwards is more normal. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

aprovinciallady · 06/09/2019 16:28

TeenPlusTwenties I totally agree with you.

SaraNade · 06/09/2019 19:16

Where I am we don't get changed for PE, we wear our sports uniform for the actual full day. E.g say PE is on Thursdays. The students wear their normal day uniform on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Thursday is sports uniform day.

Only time I remember anyone at school needing to get changed is for swimming lessons (for some reason we weren't allowed to wear our swimming togs under our uniform) and the boys would change in the boys room and the girls in the girls room, with the teacher standing at the entrance of the change room, between the two.

MyDcAreMarvel · 06/09/2019 19:20

Year five , they are young children whose private parts are covered by underwear.
I don’t see the problem.

BertrandRussell · 06/09/2019 19:25

I think mixed changing should probably stop about 8. It’s about that time that many children start wanting but of privacy at home too.

RedskyLastNight · 06/09/2019 19:51

they are young children whose private parts are covered by underwear

Plenty of girls wearing bras in Year 4 who may not be desperately happy to show them off to boys (some of whom will have a tendency to be silly about it).

CoastalWave · 06/09/2019 22:18

There are not 'plenty' of girls wearing bras at all in a Year 4 class!

In over 10 years of teaching, I've known 2

daisydoooo · 06/09/2019 22:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cantkeepawayforever · 07/09/2019 11:32

Y5 for PE (Y4 on request)

Obviously from the start of school for swimming.

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