Burnley Grammar School

John,for a few years before going to the grammar school,I was encouraged by my parents, particularly my mum,to take my shirt off in the summer when I was playing outside in the garden or with other boys in the road. Her mother suffered from rickets when she was child and my mum was keen to ensure that I got out in the sun and soaked up plenty of vitamin D.We didn't have anything that resembled PE in Junior school and never had to undress.However,my mum knew from talking to other mothers in our road that their sons who were at the grammar school had to strip off for PE so I was aware in advance and had no problem when I had my first gym lesson. However, I hadn't been warned about the showers afterwards, although a towel was on the kit list.I had never been seen naked by other boys and felt very reluctant to take my shorts off, but realised that I had no option and went ahead and entered the open communal showers. I soon got used to having to take showers and eventually looked forward to being able to wash the sweat off after each lesson without any embarrassment.The whole experience helped my confidence and it is a pity that boys today don't have to strip off as we did.

Hi Claire, That's kind of you to mention that.Some boys certainly had a lot to endure, but down south we got away with it much easier and I certainly never had to do exercises in the snow. Only once, when the snow prevented us from playing football we were sent on a run around the playing fields- wearing our normal football kit.

Rob, great to hear the experience of someone who also enjoyed PE and felt totally happy just wearing shorts and plimsolls. When exercising and like you say working up a sweat our PE kit made the most sense. After being in a hot classroom most lads enjoyed being able to strip to the waist and exercise bare chested.

It felt good if we got admired by girls and helped to develop confidence in our bodies.

Hi Rob, The boys had respect for being made to strip off in all weathers. We admired what they were made to endure especially during winter. The sight of barechested lads being made to do sit ups and press ups in the snow earned plenty of that.

MikeL & John,good to read your comments. I went to a boys grammar school in the years when secondary schools were mostly all single sex and along with my classmates spent PE lessons stripped off and wearing just shorts and plimsolls.We were made to work hard but said how enjoyable it was when the sweat was running down our bare chests, and the rest of our bodies, for that! I would have liked to have liked to have had some female spectators. However, when we were sent out on a cross country run we did have to pass the entrance to the girls school and more often than not there was a group of girls standing there and we always stopped and enjoyed having them admire our bare chests- all natural good fun!

re Washing.In 1973 I was always one to avoid mud and dirt generally.but was asked to swap my Rugby shirt with another boy in my year,this was just to even out teams!The boy was less diligent and returned it in right old mess! I explained what happened and was O.K. about it.Luckily Ariel had been invented by then! I thought my mother would freak out when she saw the muddy shirt.Can see the funny side of it years later.

Hi Claire,
I wouldn't have minded if he had, but the polo shirts they wore were quick to wash and dry. The rugby shirts he had for outdoor games in the winter were more of a challenge though!

Hi Andrea, would you prefer your son to strip to the waist for PE if there was a choice. It would save a little on the washing!

Hi Andrea and Pete

The girls go to a mixed sex state school. They do PE all through school in just underpants/knickers. My oldest is in year 5 and is used to doing her lessons wearing pants and no top and she’s comfortable with it. I’m perfectly happy with it too; at that age there's little difference between boys and girls and what there is is not significant enough to cause difficulty orncausenmenworey.

Hi Amy, is it a girls only school and is it a private or public school?

I also don't see anything wrong in young kids doing PE topless. Maybe by year 5 or 6 would be different if it is mixed.

Mike L, I agree with you totally the girls at my school were more than happy to see boys shirtless. Most boys myself included were quite happy to strip to the waist for indoor PE and some outdoor games. It was completely normal for us.

Claire, I attended a mixed school and never heard a single complaint about us being made to strip down for PE/Games. They enjoyed seeing us topless and the majority of boys preferred exercising like that too. Good to read girls views about something that was such a regular thing.

Andrea, my girls go to a mixed primary and pe is done in mixed sex classes. The girls continue to do PE in just their pants into year six (as do the boys) and bralettes and crop tops etc are not allowed to be worn. I know some of the girls’ friends are already developing a little, but I think as long as they don’t have full breasts there’s no harm in them having to go topless for PE.

Amy, do you girls go to an all girls school, or mixed boys and girls?

Also, do you know whether the topless PE carries on into Year 6? I would imagine some of the girls would have started to 'develop' by then.

If I remember correctly from my sons final sports day at Primary School, about half the girls wear wearing some sort of bralette or crop top under their PE tops.

Pete, you asked if there are any schools left who make both boys and girls do PE in just underpants? Well I don't think there are many, but my girls' school does just this. My twin girls are in year 5 (penultimate year) and they have t remove their outer clothes and vests for PE. I'm quite happy with this to be honest, as it makes my life simpler and also means the children maximise their time actually doing PE rather than changing into complicated and un-necessary PE kit. It was also what I did at primary and early senior school.

To answer Toby's question - yes, some boys were definitely singled out to do PE shirtless more often than others. There was one friend of mine who almost always seemed to be picked for skins, I have no idea why. But at some stage every boy had to strip down and I think we mostly just accepted that.

In reply to Pete, there was some discussion about this on Mumsnet a few years ago. One mum was concerned that when her daughter started school (at 4.5 years old), both boys and girls were expected to do PE in vest and pants. Views were mixed as to whether this was appropriate or not even at that age.

When I was at Primary School we wore T shirts and shorts or skirts for PE, but boys and girls all had to change in the same classroom. By the time my son went to Primary School, the girls and boys went to different areas to change from the age of about 8 onwards.

Hi Alf, The boys at school were aged from 9 to 18 but PE lessons were always single sex. The gym had large windows to let the light in so we could see everything. The classrooms overlooked the yard and field so we could easily see them strip. We had those horrible aetex tops and black pe knickers.

Claire, what ages are you talking about and was it mixed PE for both boys and girls?
What did the girls wear for PE?

I went to a boys only secondary and no one was made to take off their vests except for showers afterwards which were voluntary. Did you or the boys have compulsary showers after PE?

I enjoyed seeing boys being made to remove their vests at the start and it was common to see them coming out of the gym glistening with sweat. I know I had my favourites who I'd love to see bare top and more often than not they were. Interesting thread.

Oliver, did you find some were picked to strip more often than others did. I was nearly always picked to to remove my vest. I wonder if others found this to be the norm?

Are there any schools left who make both boys and girls do PE in just underpants?
Although not at my school this seems to have been common in many primary schools up to age 11 or so.

It was of interest to hear of the the local authorities enforcing shirtless P.E.lessons.I attended an independent school and it was more late sixties to mid seventies,so safety issue weren't at the top of the agenda then, we didn't even have goggles for chemistry experiments!Exe

Many Local Educatiom Authorities in the UK had shirtless for boys PE policies in the 1970s and 80s, these were adopted to keep boys safe; in response to serious accidents that had been attributed to boys tops falling over their heads whilst using wall bars, vaults etc.

The changing of the clocks this weekend reminds me that one Outdoor Centre in the N of England apparently insisted on shorts for all outdoor activities (fell walking, camping etc.) during the period of BST.

Other points - there was an accident at one school some years back caused by loose clothing getting caught in equipment - the school immediately went to shirtless for boys.

Swimming in the nude - I think this was simply a hangover from olden times - no more - no less.

Andrea - I was told recently of a mixed swimming class in a Jnior school where some of the boys introduced frogs into the pool & girls changing areas.

Happy Days!

John raised an important point about safety in the gym environment.Particularly with ropes and the wooden equipment.

My school gym was almost always freezing cold and I hated going in there wearing only white PE shorts and vest. But, the PE teacher made us work so hard that soon we were actually thankful that the temperature was so low.

Due to his relentless demands for ever more effort, I used to get so hot that whenever I had the opportunity, I positioned myself under the chilly down draughts from the huge glass windows.

Although we all entered the gym wearing vests, these were soon voluntarily discarded. By the end of the lesson the wall bars were draped with them.

Maybe I should be grateful I didn't go to your school Toby! One cold muddy barechested jog around the field was enough for me...

Oliver, that's something I'd never thought of. I wasn't mischievous but for some reason was always picked to strip down all the time. Laps of the field were always done without a top regardless of the weather. I got to know the field pretty well over the years.

Toby, that does sound illogical but I imagine it was partly a means of emphasising discipline. It was similar at my school where you'd put your vest on, along with the rest of your PE kit, knowing there was a fair chance you'd have to remove it within minutes. More often than not the class would be divided into skins vs vests in the gym. But the PE teachers often used shirtlessness as a punitive measure too - I experienced that once when I had to take my top off and run laps of the playing field. No reason for it, other than to make a boy feel small and emphasise who was in charge.