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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Just read the bloody uniform policy!!!

765 replies

flingoringo · 06/09/2023 15:10

I've just read an article about a school in Gateshead where lots of kids were sent home or out in isolation on day one of term because they were wearing the wrong shoes. The offending shoes seem to be mainly a Vivienne Westwood ballet flat (with a big silver VW emblem on the front) and a Nike walking boots. Lots of kids wearing the same, from yr7 to yr11.
Parents are up in arms, obviously. One mentions the CoL crisis so the need to scrimp and save to spend A HUNDRED QUID on the Nike shoes. One mum said her yr7 daughter won't be going back she's finding her a new school.

The school (taken over by an academy in 2019) says the policy is clear, plain black shoes with no logos. That they have done their best to help yr6 parents understand what was to be expected once on yr7.

Now I don't necessarily agree with schools being overly strict with uniform policy. But I do accept that I have to agree to follow the rules at the schools that I chose to send my kids to and if we chose not to then of course they'll be consequences.

AIBU to think it's it's completely ridiculous that this happens every bloody year?!

OP posts:
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Knors · 06/09/2023 15:23

TBF the Nike shoes are alright if they're all black.

allhellcantstopusnow · 06/09/2023 15:23

School uniform and all the minutiae is so utterly pointless and a waste of teacher time and energy, let alone means kids who otherwise are generally fine end up in trouble because they've got the wrong socks on.

Ridiculous escapade.

blacksax · 06/09/2023 15:22

Why can't some people just do what is required and buy their kid some school shoes?

Annaishere · 06/09/2023 15:19

With the Nike shoes anyway it could be the parents don’t want to have to buy two separate pairs of lesser quality shoes for school and home

SocialistSally · 06/09/2023 15:19

KeepSmiling89 · 06/09/2023 15:17

Vivienne Westwood and Nike?!?! What happened to the days of a good ole' pair of kickers school shoes??? Just had a look online and some of them are half the price of that ballet pump and with much more support, wear and grip for colder icier days!

Most kickers are on the photo examples of not acceptable for my son’s school. They have small logos on the side which aren’t allowed.

flingoringo · 06/09/2023 15:18

Approaching · 06/09/2023 15:15

Some uniform policies are draconian, expensive, and hard to follow. But this doesn’t seem to be one of them, so yes, in this instance I agree.

Well quite. If the kids had been sent home for wearing supermarket trousers rather than pricey school logo ones I'd be completely on their side.
But that's not what's happening here!

OP posts:
KeepSmiling89 · 06/09/2023 15:17

Vivienne Westwood and Nike?!?! What happened to the days of a good ole' pair of kickers school shoes??? Just had a look online and some of them are half the price of that ballet pump and with much more support, wear and grip for colder icier days!

Zimunya · 06/09/2023 15:17

I agree, OP. Also, what example is that setting to the children on how to deal with disappointments and challenges? We need to teach our kids the correct way to challenge authority. Kids who are taught to disregard rules and just do what they want are unlikely to become functioning members of society. (Unless they want to be Conservative ministers, that is).

PurpleMonkeys · 06/09/2023 15:17

Schools near me have stupid uniform policies.
But the schools have it laid out in clear language on their websites.

If parents find it too hard to follow those simple policies, I wonder how they manage to keep a job etc .

SocialistSally · 06/09/2023 15:17

I found it really hard to find suitable shoes for my ds, that were comfortable and suitable for his feet (he has to wear insoles), but didn’t have a logo or “look like trainers”.

Honestly, what you wear on your feet makes no impact on learning. These academies with the polyester blazers are so unlike the modern workplace.

s4usagefingers · 06/09/2023 15:16

I don’t get why grown adults are so obsessed with trivial things when it’s a sensible policy. It’s not like the policy is asking you to buy a really specific and costly item. Just wear the uniform and get on with it.

When I was 14 I dyed my hair rainbow colours and refused to wear a tie and all that. I thought I was fighting the power. I grew out of that phase by the time I hit 18.

Approaching · 06/09/2023 15:15

Some uniform policies are draconian, expensive, and hard to follow. But this doesn’t seem to be one of them, so yes, in this instance I agree.

Retrievemysanity · 06/09/2023 15:15

YANBU

VickyEadieofThigh · 06/09/2023 15:14

Sidslaw · 06/09/2023 15:12

ballet flats are a ridiculous choice for school, no protection, and severely limiting in playground games

Correct. They'll also wear out very quickly indeed.

Sidslaw · 06/09/2023 15:12

ballet flats are a ridiculous choice for school, no protection, and severely limiting in playground games

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