Secondary school does not allow D.Martens

I think any school will be a poor fit for OP and her child. They dont seem to want to follow school rules.

Anyone who has had several meetings in just over half a term at school has problems.

Aside from the 'they're not actually school shoes' thing, why on earth can't children wear boots to some schools in winter? Sensible, smart ones obviously, not steel toe capped bovver boots. There's nothing wrong with modern plain black DMs. They're far more practical and sensible than the stupid heels we used to totter about in when I was at school.

I wear (various) boots all winter, they're warm and keep my feet dry! My children wear (Clarks) black leather boots at primary school when it's cold and wet (so half the year) with no issues at all. School would rather the children were in footwear that's suitable for the weather and not mithering about or distracted by having soggy tights where they've absorbed water all the way up or freezing wet feet, after playing outside at break and lunchtime.

I can't understand why any school with an ounce of basic common sense would ban appropriate boots on the pedantic basis of 'they're not shoes'. Well, duh. Correct. But shoes aren't always appropriate for the weather conditions are they.

It's just daft.

Saying you to want to wear them so you're able to kick someone if you need is a ridiculous thing to say to the school, but teenagers aren't known for their tact or common sense. Lesson learned, OPs child.

The manufacturer calls them ankle boots

Like I said, call them what you/they/kickers like, they're nothing like the DMs. The school have obviously chosen a reasonable place to draw the blurry line between boots and shoes. DM boots are quite obviously not even close to being a shoe. It's not difficult to buy school shoes.

From the kickers site:

"Our Kick Hi has been gripping the streets for decades, worn on the feet of change-makers, trendsetters, and well just about everyone. Our most classic ankle boot design, they have our trademark chunky sole, signature triple stitching, branded eyelets and as always, our comfy padded collar. This pair are finished with an all-black style with a modern matte leather upper, ready to slot straight into your wardrobe, and your life."

Maybe the school has such shit behaviour as they're ending up spending valuable time on meetings about bloody shoes. It's simple. The uniform is shoes. You've bought her boots. You need to buy her shoes that comply with the uniform instead of making shit excuses like 'everyone else does it' like a teenager

I can't believe you have put your daughter through all that rather just buy her a pair of proper school shoes tbh.

The school is the way it is because of parents teaching their children that they can pick and choose what rules to follow. Just buy some plain black school shoes fgs

I don't call them boots. Kickers do. So they can differentiate them from their shoe range. They're boots.

Call them what you/they like. We've all got eyes and can see they are nothing like DM boots

I've got some black DM shoes. No yellow laces or stitch detail. Absolutely inoffensive but still DMs. Can't vouch for their structural integrity when booting people in the head though, as I don't roll that way.

I'd buy her a pair of black DM shoes for Xmas.

Most schools have uniform rules. DMs wouldn't be allowed in my local secondary school.

You said in the opening post that they are DM boots. And the school rule is black shoes. So yes YABU on the footwear

But it's clear this school is a poor fit for you, so I hope you can find another place

They're boots and sold as boots. Literally used to sell them in Shellys on Oxford Street

The kickers barely qualify as boots though. Tallish shoes. Not remotely the same. I don't think the "brand name" is the issue.

That's a point. If kids go to school wearing something expensive, it could be stolen from the locker room during the day. Not a pleasant thought but things do go missing at school.

And good for your feet, especially wide feet. Most "school shoes" are narrow and flimsy.

They are orthopaedic shoes, banning the brand as a whole sounds troubling. Would she be allowed DM shoes without yellow stitching?

I had this discussion with my school in the 90s and my friends and I successfully got to wear our DM boots until we left. I focused on comfort, practicality, health and safety (waterproof, non-slip, and protection from impact, spillages and being trodden on), and not causing waste by buying extra things.

It is stupid that many schools allow ballet flats but not DMs.

It's her kid sobbing in the corner while she gets her head kicked in again this week. Meanwhile, mummy writes another ignored email like the head tells her to.

How is what you're doing helpful to the school?
They have a bullying and a behaviour problem so they will likely be running around like blue arsed flies all day before crying in to their soup at night dreaming of when they can hand their notice in. They likely don't have any time to actually teach.

So you help the situation by wasting their time with pointless nit picking about uniform policies. Just buy your child the uniform. It isn't rocket science.

They're both name brand boots.

You're "trying to convince her"

You're her mother. You buy the shoes. Why does she need convincing or does she call the shots in your house, the same way that you, wrongly, want to call the shots in the school.

Buy her the correct shoes and stop wasting the school's time. If you can't convince her😂to wear them, keep her at home and educate her yourself.

I'm not sure why you think another school is going to be different.

DM boots are not permitted footwear in any school that I'm aware of, SOME allow DM shoes. Your daughter openly admitted that she wears them in case she needs to use them as a weapon. That is one of the reasons why they aren't allowed! She's likely to find they are also not considered appropriate in many workplaces either.

If you continue to respond to school's attempts to enforce uniform rules with "but what about other bad behaviour" your daughter is not going to get on well anywhere.

Everytime I think 'should I go back to teaching' some helpful MNer reminds me what a nightmare some parents can be.

Our schools here have said pupils can wear suitable footwear for the weather on the journeys to and from school but must change into appropriate school shoes as soon as they get to school.

DD had DM shoes at school, lasted ages and comfortable once past the breaking in stage. Uniform for years 7-11 is shoes only, no boots inc DMs.