It's a school shoe spot the difference thread!

Indeed @thirdfiddle, most school uniforms are ridiculous. I agree with school uniform, but why oh why cannot it not just be a polo shirt and jumper? So many required a blazer and tie, when very few actual business people wear that nowadays. I'm a teacher, but I don't have a lot of respect for the uniform police.

The flat sole and general style of the Hush Puppies is very trainer-like I’d agree with the school there.

I do think however ultimately they should just accept that if they are the typical brands and from a school shoe range they should just accept them regardless

Completely agree with this too.

None of them look like trainers to me, they all look like shoes that you could wear to work in. I think they’re being absolutely pathetic. Perhaps you could get a letter from a private physio to see him through the whole of school and then just get him actual trainers (which are recommended by many physios/ podiatrists as the healthiest footwear to wear)

Well quite, very much my point as well!

Honestly OP I do despair, and I used to teach in a school.

I recall once asking a student (a noted challenging student whom I had taught at one point) whether the (grey, not black, branded) trainers he was wearing were his normal shoes, or had his black school shoes got wet? (School rule btw was black shoes, not canvas, not Vans (popular then) but DMs, Kickers, trainer style in leather all OK.)

He replied: "No, these are my normal school shoes. Other people in the school also wear trainers [true but usually black at least] and until they all wear proper school shoes, I am wearing these to school."

Clearly what a parent had told him. I despaired and then realised he was not my student, nor in my form, and the argument was just not worth it.

all look like trainers

@TheUnstoppableWindmill is this an English school your child is at? I’m in Scotland but I’ve never heard of such strict rules for a school here. Some days my kids wear random trainers to school just cos they feel like it and the school don’t mind.

I would have said the start rite shoes are the most trainer-like but they are so similar I don’t think I would even notice in real life the difference! I think it borders on ridiculous amounts what the school are expecting - are the other kids having to get isolated for their shoes too?

Does the rector expect you to buy new shoes?

Are teachers really so under worked that they are having to impose rules like this to justify their employment. Tell them to teach the students.

And in the real world loads of us are wearing actual trainer like trainers and jeans to our office jobs, including very senior people. As actually all anyone cares about is that we're good at our jobs.

Have you forwarded the email onto the Head of Year where they approved the very similar shoes? Have they given a reason as to what the crucial difference is, that means the shoes you have chosen are not allowed? They need to be able to answer that question imo, you shouldn't need to guess, or ask a load of people on Mumsnet. Maybe their explanation will be sensible e.g. if it's the Hush Puppies because they look like a Skater trainer.

I do not understand why schools don’t want these types of shoes. They’re actually a perfect compromise- not trainers, look pretty smart, but the kids can still run around/ play football etc in them. I don’t get it.

My DS wears hush puppies with a single Velcro strap for secondary school. He is also on the autistic spectrum and can't manage laces. He says slip on are uncomfortable. It is ridiculous how controlling this has all got now.

I also don't really understand why they can't have trainers?

Hush Puppies have textured leather not smooth. Is that what they are on about?

Hush puppies but I went back and forth between that and shoe one.

If the other three were 'perfect' than the almost indistinguishably different ones should be at least 'good enough' surely?!

That aside, what could the school actually do if the OP, or any other parent, refused to buy another pair?

Honestly, sorry for posting again but I'm completely baffled. And echo those posters saying why are they wasting time on such trivialities?

(I agree with uniform and even policing it to a reasonable extent, but if you sent pictures of the other 3 - all quite trainer-like in different ways - and bought the hush puppies, I do not understand why they have been rejected.)

Don't buy another pair, OP. Just refuse. Get someone to explain to you why the other 3 are ok and not the pair you bought. Hopefully they will catch themselves on.

And what do most of the boys do at school lunchtime? Football! And what is the best footwear for football? Shiney lace up stiff shoes or these?

They don't look like actual trainers obviously in the same way that you wouldn't go running in Adidas Superstars. But they do look the most like the black 'school' shoes that the trainer companies like Nike, Adidas etc brought out to capture the school shoe market.

Im so glad my dc re no longer at school. Having to email the teachers to get permission for the style of shoe is absolutely ridiculous. Glad teacher have so much time on their hands they can inspect shoes and check emails of this nature - id heard they were over worked ffs

Its ridiculous how strict some schools can be, my son wears black adidas Tensaur trainers for school, all of the shoes you listed are fine.
It’s so silly, kids need to be comfortable and schools also need to take into consideration how much it costs to buy decent school shoes.