Pupil's Perseverance Pays Off In Tracksuit Triumph
Not many pupils give much thought to their school uniform, and many wouldn’t even consider changing it. One student at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School, however, decided that something needed to be done about the School’s lack of a tracksuit.Ben Hoad, a Year 11 pupil, is a keen runner and member of the School’s cross-country running club. Before his intervention, the School’s PE uniform included a hoody and tracksuit bottoms, but Ben thought that an alternative would be better, especially for members of the School’s sports teams.
Seeing that there was a need for a new tracksuit to be introduced, Ben took it upon himself to make it happen. “The School needed a tracksuit that looked smart for fixtures and kept pupils warm in winter,” Ben explains. “I brought it up in student council and they thought a tracksuit was a good idea.”
But that was just the beginning. Ben needed the approval of PE teachers, the Headmaster and the Bursar before he had the go-ahead. “It took much longer than I thought. I had to go to meetings with the Bursar and explain why we wanted a tracksuit, and there were meetings about what design would be best, how much it should cost, and whether it would be compulsory. It took a long time for it all to come together but it was worth it.”
The tracksuit is now available as an optional part of the School’s PE uniform, and pupils will be able to wear the tracksuit to sports fixtures and PE lessons. After nearly six months of working to get the tracksuit approved Ben is happy with his success. “It took a lot of effort but I’m proud of what I accomplished.”
Headmaster Paul Spencer Ellis said, “I’m delighted that Ben has shown the initiative, drive and perseverance to see this project through. He was adamant that the School needed a tracksuit and was involved in every step to make it happen. We’ve seen an immediate demand for this new item of uniform, which has proved to be very popular with pupils.”
