School petition calls for students to wear PE kit all day over changing room 'anxiety'

11 July 2022, 11:42 | Updated: 11 July 2022, 13:10

Parents and students are calling for a school in Peterborough to let children stay in their PE kit all day amid fears of "anxiety and vulnerability" about teenagers getting changed in front of their peers.

The petition, believed to have been started by a student at The Deepings School in Peterborough, is pushing for its PE policy to be kept in place - allowing pupils to come to school wearing their kit and stay in it all day.

The rules were implemented in September 2020 to minimise the risk of catching coronavirus when pupils were in close contact in the changing rooms.

It's now being suggested that the policy should remain in place to avoid "further anxiety and vulnerability" when young people are forced to get changed around others.

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The petition, signed by more than 200 people, also says that reinstating the rule change will force many transgender and LGBT students into "difficult situations" about where they can get changed and where they can feel "comfortable".

It proposes that the policy is kept in place, stating that the kit has "no negative effect on how we behave in classes".

Woke brigade hijacking school PE kit rules

However, the school's headteacher, Richard Lord, said staff believe it is not hygienic for pupils to stay in their PE kits all day after a lesson of being active and getting sweaty.

He told LBC: "It doesn't surprise me that lots of students have signed the petition saying they want to wear their PE kits all week... but it also has a bearing on the standards of uniform."

"When children were not allowed to cross bubbles we introduced the PE kit policy, asking children to come in to school in their kits," he explained.

"As Covid mitigations have decreased we've relaxed some of those mitigations, including reintroducing students changing for PE.

"I think it's pretty common practice in secondary schools for children to get changed for PE, it really is. The only difference for us is we kept that mitigation slightly longer than other schools."

He said they have a very "traditional" school uniform, with students required to wear ties and blazers.

But it's "not appropriate" for a student to do PE at the beginning of the day, in hot conditions, and then have to sit in that PE kit for the rest of the day.

He also said they have recently added a room for people questioning their sexual identity so they can get dressed alone, if they prefer.

“We have put in provisions for people questioning their gender identity and will be helping those students who are more anxious about getting changed,” Mr Lord added.

He said they are very keen to work with students and individuals to work with their families to find the best solution, and said they are "really supportive" of pupils.

Some parents have signed the petition, with one mother saying: “I will not force [my daughter] to undress somewhere she does not feel comfortable.”

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Another person wrote: "Some children have sever [sic] anxiety and the idea of having to change in front of other students will have a serious detrimental effect on their mental health for no good reason as there is no benifit [sic] to changing at school. They should have a choice those who want to go in pe kit can those who prefur [sic] to get changed at school do that."

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Mr Lord said the policy, which had been introduced at a number of schools and since dropped, had been kept in place because pupils and staff were still testing positive for coronavirus.

The petition has not only been launched to support students who are struggling with their anxiety, but also because it will mean children have less to carry.

One parent wrote: "It’s a much more efficient system to wear PE to school. Resulting in the children having less to carry. Less uniform going missing / PE kits being left on buses etc. Less washing. My daughter has never known getting changed or showered at school and does not feel comfortable. I will not force her to undress somewhere she does not feel comfortable."

Another said the new policy has been "hugely beneficial" to her daughter.

LBC has approached The Deppings School for comment.