Fulwood County Secondary School

Danny,

A skort is effectively a skirt with a pair of shorts underneath them (as part of the same garment). They only seem to have become popular in the last few years.

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-girls%27-school-pe-skorts/p3563527?sku=237197046&colour=Navy&size=7-8-years&s_ppc=2dx92700051926095655&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3oe7_Kiz6AIVTMreCh2tTgUqEAQYASABEgI35PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Andrea,
What is a skort, if I may ask?

Or is it a typo and you meant 'skirt' or something else?

When my son was at secondary school, both girls and boys wore white polo shirts and blue shorts for indoor PE. Outdoors boys wore rugby shirts and girls could wear a sweatshirt over their polo shirts.

I understand from a friend whose daughter is still at the school that the girls now have the option to wear a skort, rather than the shorts if they wish to.

Danny, the kit I described was pretty much what I wore from year 4 until I left school. In years 1 to 3 there was no kit we all took our clothes and shoes and socks off in the classroom and did PE in our underwear.

Fiona, as you say a sensible PE kit and I'm sure one that is commonly found in schools today. If any boy wanted to be shirtless then I say let him. What harm is he going to do? Plus it will be the lads choice.
I do believe though that bare feet should be compulsory, it's good for the childs foot development and keeps in line with the cheap and affordable idea.

Ross, we had gender neutral PE kit throughout primary school, which consisted of white t-shirt and white shorts for both boys and girls.

Ross: I suspect that many schools specify kit along the lines that you describe. Would you allow boys to choose to leave their tops off if they so wished?

Mr Dando, you talk of gender neutral PE kits. I think an ideal and cheap kit that should be adopted by all schools is white polo shirt, navy shorts and bare feet for all PE in or out and the cross country. Simple, cheap and easy to carry in and around school.

As for showers there are times like after a muddy run they are required itshould be pupil choice if they take one or not.

Yes Sarah but no typographical correction can fix past child abuses committed by Physical education instructors. Even today there are schools that force vulnerable pupils into nudity through compulsory showers. An example is shown below:

https://www.elmsbank.co.uk/key-information/uniform/

PE uniform
Girls:

White PE Shirt with school logo
Black Shorts or Black Skort
Fleece with school logo - optional item for colder weather
Black Jogging Pants - optional item for colder weather
Boys:

White PE Shirt with school logo
Black Shorts
Fleece with school logo - optional item for colder weather
Black Jogging Pants - optional item for colder weather
All pupils are required to change for Physical Education into the PE uniform and pumps (not leisure boots as these have ridges on the soles).

In order to promote personal hygiene and independence skills, pupils are expected to shower after PE lessons. Pupils attending Hydrotherapy sessions should bring their own kit.

Instead of celebrating the "good old days" we should campaign to end mandatory showers, and make sure all schools have gender neutral PE kits for indoor, outdoor or swimming classes.

Just found this site. It's fantastic, especially for a relative oldie like me. But with my pedant's hat on, could you please correct the typo in the second word of the caption to the photograph above. Thanks in anticipation.

The Children Act was passed in 1989 but there are still primary schools that force kids to do PE in their underwear. These children must either do PE in their regular clothes or do it in a tracksuit. Vest, underpants and bare feet is a retrograde practice. Here is one such school in Lewisham.

http://www.gordonbrock.lewisham.sch.uk/school-uniform/

PE Kit
Children in Years 1-6 require a kit which they can change into for PE.

This kit should be labelled with your child's name and sent to school in a bag which can stay in class all half term.

Reception children have only indoor PE and this is done in knickers and vests.

I done school aged 5 but I never did it in pants and vests. Together we must outlaw this practice.

Mr Curious,
As I recall, we had swimming lessons each week for the Autumn Terms in our first two years at secondary school.

Corporal punishment did take place, mainly by a slap over the knuckles with a ruler, or a plimsoll to legs.

Andrea,
How often did you take the swimming lessons and in what years or forms?

Did you have corporal punishment at your school and how was it carried out?

Mr Curious - my school was girls only, so can't comment on boys' swimwear where I lived. We swam in the local public pool, and anyone forgetting their kit just sat it out.

Andrea,
Did the boys also have to wear regulation swimsuits?
What if any of the girls or boys forgot their swimsuit?
I read that in some schools if a boy or girl forgot their swimsuit they were made to swim "without" or just underpants.
We didn't have swimming at my school so I don't know what it was like.

I suppose this could also be a question for male posters here who had swimming at school, apart from those where no swimsuits were allowed. :)

Mr Curious,
When I was at secondary school in the early 1970s we had to wear regulation navy blue swimsuits. The school didn't supply them, so they were yet another item our parents had to buy from the local outfitters.

Fiona,
Were the girls regulation swimsuits the same identical colour and were they supplied by the school or bought?

Did you know of any schools where the boys did not wear any swimsuits?

Mr Curious - I expect they all wore standard one-piece "regulation" swim-suits, as I did and my mother did before me.

The above photo caption says that the girls' instructor "is also a member of the County swimming team."
I wonder what kind of swimwear those girls wore in those days.
At least they did not have to swim nude like boys did in some schools, which I think Mr.Dando would not have approved of.

Are there any similar photo discussions on this site about swimming lessons?

Mr Dando

So, are you saying that because you personally found school showers "a problem" a generation ago, none of today's school kids should have showers after PE or games?

Yes and it was a problem! The new school term is fast approaching and it is time to end the dreaded school shower.

Like this offending school!

https://www.uffculmeschool.net/sites/default/files/files-uniform/school_uniform_letter_for_induction_pack_2016_final.pdf

PE Kit
Girls
 White polo shirt with school star
 Black shorts (cycling shorts and long
shorts are not suitable) or skort
 Black football socks
 White ankle socks
 Trainers (with non-marking soles, not
skate shoes)
 Football boots
 Shin pads
 Towel for shower
 Gum shield
Boys
 White polo shirt with school star
 Black shorts (cycling shorts and long
shorts are not suitable)
 Rugby shirt with house colour
 White shorts
 Black football socks
 White ankle socks
 Trainers (with non-marking soles, not
skate shoes)
 Football boots
 Shin pads
 Towel for shower
 Gum shield
Optional PE Kit
 Black or white underarmour
 Black leggings (for dance and trampolining only)
 Black tracksuit trousers*
 Black Uffculme PE hoodie*
* Wearing of these items will be at the discretion of the PE teacher.

There should be no shower requirement and no towel requirement and items of clothing should never be at the "discretion" of the PE teacher.

Human rights in school must be our 2020 vision.

Mr.Dando,

"The school shower continues to be a problem and now must be abolished in all UK educational institutions."

Why is it a problem?
Did you ever take a shower at school?

... but being clean and fresh after vigorous exercise has much to commend itself.

The school shower continues to be a problem and now must be abolished in all UK educational institutions.

http://www.marketfieldschool.co.uk/parents/school-uniforms

Our School Uniform

We are very proud of our school uniform. It unites us as a ‘team’ and helps us look very smart.

Our everyday uniform is:
Girls: School Navy and Jade crested polo tops only, Navy school crested sweatshirt or fleece, grey or black school skirt of an appropriate length, grey or black trousers, sensible shoes, blue or green summer dress in the summer.

Boys: School Navy and Jade crested polo tops only, Navy school crested sweatshirt or fleece, grey or black school trousers, grey or black school shorts in summer and sensible shoes.

Year 11 students may choose to wear a purple crested polo top instead. This helps to distinguish them from the rest of the school and give them a more grown up look.

We always get changed for PE lessons. It helps us keep our clothes nice and fresh and puts us in the right frame of mind for playing sport.

Our PE kit uniform is:

White crested polo tops, shorts, jogging bottoms and a jumper for outside sports. Non marking trainers. On PE days we bring a towel and shower gel because we have a shower afterwards.

Nudity in schools is nothing to be proud of, shower gel or not!

😂 Susan it was not a problem! He enjoyed teasing them as the term 'knickers', as you know, has feminine connotations, and boys being boys, they were, of course, protective of their masculinity! You mention boys. How many? I had three ... quite dissimilar but all very male!

Danny,yes,I did wear shorts out of school for playing,but they were more casual shorts like football shorts.
Even though I was fourteen my mother kept me in shorts all the time and decided what would be more suitable for me to wear for different occasions.
I did feel slightly'ridiculous'wearing short trousers with a jacket and tie,as I considered I had outgrown my costume,but my mother liked the classic school boy look and thought that the jacket and tie complimented the outfit.

James, I also wore shorts as school uniform till I was 14 and my mother would never listen when I told her I should start wearing long trousers for school before that age.
But somehow I never minded wearing shorts outside of school since we mostly spent our time playing outside activities where shorts were more comfortable.
Maybe it was because it felt ridiculous wearing school jacket and tie with shorts for school.
Did you also wear shorts outside of school and felt the same?

June
Sorry l meant to address you June
My hubby refers to them as knickers too and how our boys hate that term - haha

Fiona
My hubby refers to them as knickers too and how our boys hate that term - haha

Danny & Andrea,when I was growing up and going through secondary school my parents kept me in short trousers and much to my annoyance they were frequently referred to as'short pants'as I believe that was also how the Americans refer to them.