Secondary school does not allow D.Martens

I shake my head when I read posts like these....with parents attitudes like yours it's no wonder kids are following suit.

You're bring up the next generation to believe they don't need to listen to or respect the simplist of rules.

It's not for you or your DD to decide the uniform, the school have relieved your brain of having to do it due to people like you deviating from a list, it couldn't be any easier, it's for a few hours a day every 6 weeks or so, maybe even less, that shoes of a certain criteria will have to be worn.

It's not as though your DD is given a different uniform list to the rest of the school, she's not being singled out and if parents did follow the simple rules there probably would be more time for teachers to concentrate on more important things like the bullying you talk of.

Schools not allowing boots is one of the ways they are so out of step with the rest of society. It makes sense in winter.

Our school doesn’t allow boots, it’s really silly as they are far more practical in our weathers and supportive of feet than flimsy ballet flats

God the constant whatabouttery is so embarrassing.
Why can't you just follow the rule? Why is it so hard to accept that your idea of acceptable doesn't matter because you aren't running the school?

It isn't the kids making teachers leave. It's parents like OP.

Same here, I don't think schools like boots generally.

Our school has no issue with DMs and honestly all the posters who think DMs are steel toe-capped are hilarious - they're a fashion boot that millions of people wear, not a deadly weapon.

In the 90s DMs were a bit 'out there' (when I first wore them). Today they're so mainstream no-one but Mumsnetters (and this school) seem to have an issue with them.

They are a standard, sturdy, fairly boring boot, and our local schools are fine with them.

OP, agree they are being ridiculous and hope you manage to move schools soon. You're right that their focus on footwear would be better spent on attendance and behaviour.

(Btw I have never believed that rigidly enforcing uniform rules teaches kids useful life lessons. I thought it was BS when I was 15 and still think it's the case now - I've never worn a uniform in my life and funnily enough still managed to get multiple degrees, many books published, and run successful businesses... )

I don't know any secondary school, who have a uniform policy, that would allow boots to be worn. It's always shoes. Leave the DM boots at home and buy your daughter school shoes. Regardless, if you agree with the policy or not, it's their rules, and something you knew about prior to her starting school. You have allowed your daughter to wear her boots knowing the school policy states shoes. It doesn't matter if she wants to wear her boots, it's not a choice she has. A lesson in life - there will be times when she has to do things that she doesn't like, and there won't be a choice.

OP the policy clearly states no boots of any kind and has examples of shoes which look nothing like dm boots. Why are you and your daughter so hellbent on fighting this? Think about this critically for a bit. Do you honestly think it's in your daughter's best interest to be so awkward about this?

The argument about her needing to defend herself is ridiculous. If she genuinely feels that she needs heavy shoes to defend herself then this isn't a safe learning environment and she needs to move schools. Tbh if I was your dd's teacher and she told me she wanted to wear a certain type of shoe so that she could 'kick other people' then I'd personally see to it that she didn't cross the threshold of the school in those boots ever again. You are a big part of the reason people don't want to teach any more. Do the school a favour and just remove dd from the school if you think this little of her education.

YANBU

I bet they allow shitty unsupportive ballet flats.

Why? They aren’t consistent. Height of shoe body is better.
FWIW I might well interpret the kickers as non-compliant, but the school hadn’t and the DMs ate clearly different, higher, more definitely a boot.

Come off it, no school allows DMs to be worn as part of school uniform.
All yhe other stuff is just smoke & mirrors to hide the fact that your chikd is wearing footwear that will never be allowed at any school and you're happy for her to wear them.

When your child joined the school they will have been explicit about uniform but you have chosen to disregard this.

Your chikds comments about kicking bullies was stupid but typical of a teenager.

Parents like you, who ignore basic school rules, are a major reason why so many teachers are leaving the profession

Many posters don't seem to get that Uniform rules are not so much about the clothing itself , as engendering a culture where kids learn to follow the rules of the community they are in. Uniform is at one end of the scale and violence at the other.

Then the manufacturer's description should surely be that line...

Geez, who’d be a teacher or headteacher these days - how much time must be wasted on this sort of carry-on.

Give me a ward full of belligerent patients any day - at least they’re sick!

They are probably sold as boots. They are clearly different from DM boots and the school has to draw the line between boot and shoe somewhere.

That would be me. These ones. Definitely in the border between shoe and boot. Definitely totally different from a DM boot. As I have been saying.
For the millionth time, OP, why not just get DM shoes which would be allowed?

I imagine what you and she are describing as ‘kickers boots’ are the ones just up to the ankle. I’ve worked in enough schools to know that people wanting to break a rule will always say ‘but x is allowed and it’s the same’ when x is, in fact, totally different (and/or not allowed either).
Buy her some DM shoes.

Also @corporategreen , please understand that lots of schools don't allow Doc Marten boots.

Rules are rules; get your child to follow them. Unless you want her to be excluded from school for not following the uniform policy and have that on her record? I doubt that will help make your school transfer any easier...

The kickers kids wear to school are usually the hi tops and I posted the description earlier. They are boots. Sold as boots by the company. Ankle boots to be precise

Yes. I’ve screen shotted the most likely ‘boots’. They are totally different from DM boots.

She didn’t. She just said she didn’t see why they were acceptable when DM boots aren’t. I suspect they are the little ones which come just to the ankle whoch I’ve screenshotted up thread.

YOU have no concerns about your child's behaviour.

The school, on the other hand, is dealing with a child who is refusing to follow the rules and has stated an intention to kick other children, and a mother who is encouraging this behaviour.

Stop worrying about what other kids and parents are doing, you need to focus on your own child and your own attitude.

I can’t imagine for one second DM boots are an acceptable part of a school uniform. My DD wore these DM shoes - no branding, no stitching, and very plain. They were comfortable, sensible, complied with the regs, and lasted her until she grew out of them (when she got another pair).

https://www.drmartens.com/uk/en_gb/youth-1461-mono-softy-t-leather-shoes-black/p/26174001

@corporategreen can you post pictures of the Doc Martins and also of the equivalent Kickers?