School uniform correctness - gone mad!!!

[chubbleigh]

My son got pulled into the deputy heads office today to be told the new shoes he is wearing are not shoes but trainers - in disguise. And could he arrange for them to be replaced by Monday.

Start Rite think they are school shoes, and so do I. This is about pair no.17 and suddenly the are not OK. I need to speak to this pedantic Gove botherer in the morning, I'm not calm on the subject yet, but one thing is for sure, there is not going to be any replacements by Monday.

www.startriteshoes.com/boys-shoes/school-shoes/ethan-black-boys-riptape-school-shoes

T

[dontwannapullahammie]

They are quite trainer-like though

[WordGetsAround]

They are very trainer-like to me. I think you'll probably need to buy him some school shoes!

[SideEye]

They look very trainer-like to me, too.

[neolara]

I'm sorry but I too think they look like black trainers..

[PumpkinPie9]

They are probably in the school uniform section because some schools accept black trainers.

[SideEye]

Shoe shops would sell flip flops under the banner of "school shoes" if they thought they would sell.

[averylongtimeago]

Sorry, they do look like trainers. You will be able to sell them on eBay.

[SpeckledyBanana]

I think they are school shoes, FWIW.

[elephantoverthehill]

My DS1 was 'pulled up' for shoes a few years ago by a teacher. I told him to reply 'But they are Clarks!' If it happened again. I never heard anything more.

[eyebrowsonfleek]

Did you mean to post on the primary school section? If so, most school shoes aimed at that age group is very similar so I'd be annoyed.

How are your school rules worded?

[calzone]

My son refused those as he said school wouldn't approve of them.

[PurpleDaisies]

Those look like trainers to me too. Schools do vary in how strict they are in enforcing that rule. Lots of my pupils had shoes like that and we were told to allow anything that was basically black due to the deprived intake.

What are his friends wearing?

[SideEye]

It's the Velcro that makes them look like trainers. If it's for reception aged kids then I would think they would be OK.

[lougle]

They're trainers.

[Floggingmolly]

But they are Clarks??? So what? They're trainers. Trainers are trainers whether they're from Clarkes or Asda.

[elephantoverthehill]

They are school shoes designed for students who still want to kick a ball around at lunch time. If the velcro is a problem, counter with the fact that changing after PE is quicker. How old is your DS? What type of school does he attend? I think that may have some bearing on the shoe issue.

[Biscuitsneeded]

They look a bit like trainers...and what's wrong with that? Practical, safe, smart footwear in the colour the school wants. I am also smarting from a shoe-related incident. Anyone like to tell me what's wrong with these?
And before anyone tries to tell me that the footwear Nazis can drive up educational standards by inspecting all school students' feet at close quarters, I'm not buying it.

[Brokenbiscuit]

They are probably in the school uniform section because some schools accept black trainers.

Yes, dd's school allow trainers as long as they're completely black with no logos.

[Balletgirlmum]

They wouldn't be allowed at dds school - not sure about ds's. I refused that style just in case.

However dds school actuslly send photocopies of pages from the Clarks & start rite websites with ticks & crosses so they make it clear that only certain styles are acceptable.

That style would have been fine in my children's prep school, but not in seniors.

[VioletBam]

Agree they look like trainers.

[Floggingmolly]

Are they canvas, Biscuit?

[Balletgirlmum]

Biscuits needed - I see absolutely nothing wrong with your picture. DS tried some very similar he just preferred a different style. I'm sure they would be fine at his very strict school.

[trickyex]

I think they look like shoes, casual but still shoes. Velcro is much more common now than when I went to school.
I would be pissed off too.

[Balletgirlmum]

When you have a secondary aged child but with tiny feet (DS was size 1 lastvyear now he's 2.5) then often there is no other option than Velcro.

[SideEye]

It depends really. If they have stated in their policy that very casual trainer-like shoes are permitted and Velcro is fine, then there should be no problem.

If they have said it needs to be formal or not looking like trainers then there's a problem.