In this blog I will put forward a view that I believe is one of the most practical and feasible solutions to reducing physical inactivity during the school day – changing the design of school uniforms.
Most of us remember school uniforms – the stiff shirts, heavy shoes, and the never‑ending debate about whether they’re actually necessary. But a new study of over 1,400 Irish secondary school students reveals something important: for many young people, their school uniform isn’t just uncomfortable – it’s a real barrier to getting active.
Why This Matters
Teenagers need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day to support their physical and mental health. Schools are one of the best places to help them achieve this through PE lessons, sports, and active breaktimes. But if what students are required to wear makes movement difficult, we’re building an unnecessary barrier into their school day. This study asked students aged 12–18 how their uniforms affect their participation in physical education (PE) and physical activity (PA).
What Students Told Us
- Over half say uniforms stop them being active
- 5% said their regular school uniform makes PE harder.
- 1% said uniforms prevent them from being physically active at breaktimes or around the school day.
These numbers were even higher for older students (16–18 years), showing that discomfort increases with age and body awareness.
- Being allowed to wear PE gear helps – but not everyone gets that option
Only 52% of students were allowed to wear their PE kit to school on PE days. But this varied hugely between school types:
- 65% in mixed‑gender schools
- Only 29% in all‑boys’ and all‑girls’ schools
Boys were also more likely than girls to be given permission to wear their PE kit. This suggests inconsistent policies that may unfairly affect some groups.
- Changing rooms are a major source of stress
Uniform issues weren’t just about discomfort. Students highlighted:
- Lack of privacy
- Feeling self‑conscious
- Disliking crowded changing rooms
- Wasting time changing clothes
For many girls and gender‑diverse students, the changing room was actually one of the least enjoyable parts of PE.
- Students want comfort, choice, and practicality
In the open‑ended responses in our research study;
- 30% of student recommendations for improving PE involved uniform changes.
- Students asked for more comfortable designs, shorts in warm weather, and the ability to wear PE kit all day.
- Some wanted even more freedom – summed up by one student’s quote:
“Let us wear our own Goddamn clothes!”
What Schools Can Learn: Small changes could have a big impact, such as:
- Allowing PE kit to be worn on PE days
- Offering more flexible, activity‑friendly uniform options
- Improving privacy in changing rooms
- Listening to student voices when designing uniform policies
In summary, I should make it clear that we are not suggesting to ‘ban’ school uniforms. A plethora of research has confirmed the importance of uniforms in easing the psychological and financial pressure of competitive dressing (Reidy 2021; Nathan et al 2021). I am suggesting modifying uniform policies to allow for more comfortable and practical attire that could enhance physical activity levels and improve students’ overall PE experience.
The publication highlighted above is available open access at this link – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1356336X261422164
Le meas,
Brendan O’Keeffe
Course Director BSc Physical Education
Dr Brendan O’Keeffe is an Associate Professor in Physical Education in the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, UL.
Contact: Brendan.okeeffe@ul.ie Follow on twitter: @BrendanOK_
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