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Sport kit- how many to buy?

28 replies

Smoothie23 · 06/07/2024 17:12

Mum of y6 boy here. Ahead of me the uniform 🛒ing decisions.

In primary school they were going in sport kit to school and were staying in it all day. I understand that it is not the case in our secondary school and they change.


  1. The secondary school has branded tracksuit top with long sleeves and trousers


And as an altervative there are

2.branded shorts and t-shirt

Dear mums of kids that are already in secondary school, how many of each should I buy?



Thanks in advance
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SaltyGod · 06/07/2024 17:15

How often is he doing PE a week? Is it worn any other times too?

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thehousewiththesagegreensofa · 06/07/2024 17:24

How often do you do a load of washing?
Do you have a tumble dryer?
How sporty is your child (so are they likely to do after school clubs involving sport)?
How forgetful if your child?
Is it generic kit or branded?

DS goes to school and wears it all day twice a week and then does after school clubs on the other three so actually wears sports kit every day of the week. He's generally quite organised but, if he takes his jumper off in the middle of games or training, he just chucks it to the side and often forgets to pick it up. Then it takes a few weeks to get to lost property.
We ended up with two of everything and an extra jumper. Otherwise, I was having to do every night, something I often do anyway but it's nice not always thinking I have to.

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Pleaseleavemealone0 · 06/07/2024 17:25

It depends on what they're expected to wear/will they be going out in all weathers?
Dc1&2 have shorts and tshirt all year and a jumper and a skin layer for colder days. Dc3 has skin layer, shorts and tshirt, joggers and jumper, raincoat (has health issues and gets cold quickly). Also how often is pe? we managed with one set of everything and dc are old enough to bring it home when needed, in yr7-9 that was weekly as have twice weekly pe, in y10/11 they only have fortnightly pe so it usually comes home monthly unless had a muddy lesson.

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deeprealisation · 06/07/2024 17:39

Depends on the school. Ours only need T-shirt and shorts. The non sports kids prob only have one set

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Seeline · 06/07/2024 17:49

Is the track suit really an alternative? So they wear that or shorts/t shirt?

But yes, how many people sessions a week and will he join every sports club after school?

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Smoothie23 · 06/07/2024 18:03

@thehousewiththesagegreensofa

How often do you do a load of washing?

Every day
Do you have a tumble dryer?

Yes but I prefer not to use it apart from winter. Use the heated dryer

@SaltyGod

How often is he doing PE a week?

No idea yet. Probably the standard

Is it worn any other times too?

I doubt it. Not into sport clubs

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Smoothie23 · 06/07/2024 18:06

@Pleaseleavemealone0

Also how often is pe? 
Catholic school so probably the same as in comprehensives- 2-3 x? Don't know yet

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Smoothie23 · 06/07/2024 18:08

@Seline

Is the track suit really an alternative?
Yes, when it is colder or outdoors

will he join every sports club after school?

Def not

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ClockBiscuit · 06/07/2024 18:08

I bought one PE kit as the stuff it was made from dried almost instantly. Dd put it on a short wash when she came home from school and hung it up.

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Perpetualstateofchaos · 06/07/2024 18:12

I only got 1 set for both of my ds's neither really did or do afterschool sports but with the material of the shorts tshirts and trousers they dry overnight on an airer

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FawnFrenchieMum · 06/07/2024 18:16

We bought one set originally, T-shirt, shorts & hoodie. Didn’t bother with the tracksuit bottoms as no one wears them at our school. This was fine for PE twice a week but then she joined a few after school clubs and was wearing to 5 times a week so we bought a second shorts and & T-shirt.

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maw1681 · 06/07/2024 18:20

My DD just has one set. She does PE twice a week - this year Monday and Friday so there's time for a wash in between.

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LovelyDaaling · 06/07/2024 19:01

All the synthetic kit comes out of the washer virtually dry. I'd just buy one kit unless there's something with a high cotton content. A quick rinse through rather than full wash will be enough much of the time.

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redskydarknight · 06/07/2024 21:50

The boys at DC's school wear shorts and polo shirts for PE all year round. There is a sweatshirt and jogging bottoms as well, but virtually no one wears them.

So, if your DC was going to this school, noting that he won't do out of school sport, I'd suggest one pair of shorts and one top.
Unfortunately, it might be differet at your DS's actual school. I would suggest asking what is the norm (find a parent at your current school who has an older child at the secondary). It does, however, sound like you will only need one set.

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Theunamedcat · 06/07/2024 21:57

I got two tshirts and his joggers are unbranded plain black will do

The only reason I bought two is because they are white and we don't wear white anything here so I do one load a week five school shirts (white) two white pe shirts

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Tulipvase · 06/07/2024 22:01

Ours have a rugby shirt and then t shirt and shorts. I dutifully bought the rugby shirt for my first born, which has never been worn by 3 children. The pe tops are very quick to dry so I only bought one. And then generic black football shorts or trousers for the winter.

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KickboxingWanker · 06/07/2024 22:04

I bought 1 set of shorts/top/ socks to start with - when he started complaining he was cold in the winter I also got him the tracksuit top. - he does pe twice a week.

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SuePreemly · 06/07/2024 22:19

Both mine have 2 polo shirts
Sports top (warm)
Tracksuit bottoms/technical leggings
Shorts/skirt
X2 pairs socks

The kit festers in their locker between PE during the week and returns home weekly (hopefully) for a wash.

In older ones case, he's very sensible and brings it home every wear and washes it himself 💪 but the younger one is in the grotty stage before they twig onto the need for more frequent kit wash.

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darksigns · 06/07/2024 22:24

We had one set. Dc with zero interest in extra school sports, and the mandatory branded kit was ridiculously expensive.

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Smoothie23 · 07/07/2024 07:52

The boys at DC's school wear shorts and polo shirts for PE all year round. 
@redskydarknight they play outdoors not only indoors. It is cold in the winter

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Smoothie23 · 07/07/2024 07:57

darksigns · 06/07/2024 22:24

We had one set. Dc with zero interest in extra school sports, and the mandatory branded kit was ridiculously expensive.

I have reformed my definition of " expensive" in relation to uniform after I read on this forum that new blazer can cost above £100. And before I thought that ours is expensive- £40

Pe shorts-£15
PE t-shirt-£15

Tracksuit top-£20
Tracksuit bottom £18

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MaureenYoureNoHelpBehindTheDoor · 07/07/2024 08:07

I've just bought mine for my son going into Y7 in September. He'll be having PE twice a week and I'm anticipating him doing extra clubs as he's really sporty. My school don't stay in their PE kit all day.

Of the compulsory PE items, I bought:

Three t shirts
Three pairs of football socks
Three pairs of shorts
Two rugby tops
Two tracksuit tops

It felt OTT and expensive but I thought it'd be worth it just in case he loses items too (very likely!)

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JustKeepSwimmingJust · 07/07/2024 08:15

One set. It’s expensive and if there was more it would be hard to know if any was lost.

we’ve got through year 7 and I’ve only had to buy a new pair of shorts (originals lost!)

Presumably the uniform shop will remain open so if you are finding it hard and stressful to keep on top of it you could get more a few months into the school year.

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milkysmum · 07/07/2024 08:23

My son is in year 7. He has PE twice a week. He has one pair of shorts, 2 T-shirts. I bought the long sleeved zip up but it has never been worn even in winter. He didn't want the tracksuit pants and says that nobody wears them. ( My daughter has the school leggings and these get worn all the time rather than shorts, but the boys all seem to stick with shorts and football socks).
My son is very sporty and does a couple of after school athletic clubs but one shorts and 2 T-shirts has still been ok. I'll probably buy an extra pair of shorts for next year maybe but that's it.

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DoublePeonies · 07/07/2024 08:41

We've got:
2 teeshirts
2 shorts
1 trousers
per child.

Means we only need to ensure a mid week wash for DS2 every other week (blumming 2 week timetables), as he does before school sport.

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