A mum has banned her kids from doing PE after their school closed changing rooms and forced pupils to wear their gym kit all day.
Baffled parents say making their children sit in classrooms without changing after doing sport is a potential health hazard.
Mum Karen Davies said she will not allow her children to do PE if it means they have to keep their kit on all day.
‘It doesn’t make any sense,’ Karen said. The historian and author added: ‘If I sent the kids to school in damp, muddy clothes I’d have social services on me right away.
‘How can you be expected to concentrate on school work when you are sitting in cold, wet PE kit?
Mum Karen Davies said she will not allow her children to do PE if it means they have to keep their kit on all day. Pictured: Karen with her daughter Ninah, 12, and son William, 13
Karen’s son William said: ‘Sometimes, they make you do PE in borrowed kit which gets washed once a week on the Friday’
Karen’s son William, 13, in Year 9 and Ninah, 12, in Year 8 have stopped going to PE since the policy was introduced at the start of term
‘The school is acting beyond scope of their role.
‘What’s next? Closing the school canteen?’
Children at Robertsbridge Community College, a secondary school north of Hastings, have been told they must turn up for school in their kit on days when they have PE and wear it all day.
Karen said: ‘If they have PE first thing in the morning, they have to sit around in their sweaty kit all day – even in the winter.
‘They will have to come into school in their shorts and be cold all day.
‘The children have to go on public transport after doing PE and possibly sitting around in their kit all day.
‘They’ve also been told they can’t wear trainers to school but they also have to turn up in PE kit.
‘They’ve not been able to tell me how that works.’
Karen’s son William, 13, in Year 9 and Ninah, 12, in Year 8 have stopped going to PE since the policy was introduced at the start of term.
William said: ‘Sometimes, they make you do PE in borrowed kit which gets washed once a week on the Friday.’
Karen said: ‘The school have told me it’s all about saving time in the classroom but I don’t believe that.
‘They have just decided it is easier.’
The school said the new policy was to help pupils who feel self conscious about getting changed for PE
Acting head teacher Clive Rosewell said: ‘The decision to ask children to come to school in PE kit on PE days was taken after much consideration and communicated to parents in July’
He added:Â ‘The school is emerging from a difficult period, and it is great to see real signs of improvement from the changes being made’
The school said the new policy was to help pupils who feel self conscious about getting changed for PE.
Acting head teacher Clive Rosewell said: ‘The decision to ask children to come to school in PE kit on PE days was taken after much consideration and communicated to parents in July.
‘The approach has been well received with positive feedback from many parents.
‘There has been a very small number of parents who have expressed dissatisfaction, and this was responded to promptly – there have been no further complaints from other parents or any escalation to governors.
‘Bringing PE kit to school, and changing in and out of it, is a stressful experience for some young people.
‘Many feel very self-conscious about changing in front of their peers.
‘The additional task of taking a bag with a change of clothing can also put pressure on children.
‘The school has made this decision based on research and experience to reduce anxiety for children.
‘The school is emerging from a difficult period, and it is great to see real signs of improvement from the changes being made.
‘The school is now a calmer learning environment with improved behaviour, and the 2024 GCSE results were the best results the school has achieved for five years.’
William said: ‘It makes the classrooms smell.’
Karen, 45, said the school have stopped communicating with her.
‘Eleven times I’ve ask them what the policy is and they’ve ignored me.
‘What do you do as a parent when the school won’t converse with you?’
A spokesman for the school said: ‘The decision to ask students to come to school in PE kit on PE days was taken to reduce the stress and anxiety felt by many when having to change in front of others, and make full use of valuable learning time.Â
‘On days when inclement weather is forecast, students may bring in a change of clothes and footwear and they will be given additional time to change.Â
‘The approach was communicated to parents in July and has been well-received with positive feedback from the vast majority of parents. It is an approach used in other schools nationally.’
