Secondary school does not allow D.Martens

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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."

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.

The manufacturer calls them ankle boots

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.

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.

Uniform policy is shoes, not boots, so that's what your DD needs to be wearing. It does sound like the school have some behaviour issues and I'm sure they are working hard on fixing that. Part of enabling that to happen, is having parents who will back the school - on uniform policy, behaviour standards and discipline. If the school are constantly negotiating with parents and DC think parents will argue with school every time they think something is 'unfair' they won't get very far with making the necessary changes.

My DC go to a school like this - wasn't like this when eldest started and we moved into catchment but turned into this.

My advice - by some shoes that comply and tell her to wear them.

Other kids may get away with things your's won't but build good will and save your energy for battles that matter- stuff like them not having a teacher for half GCSE course - being able to eat or access a toilet.

Our middle child fell foul of SLT - outright and luckily for us provable lies making life harder for him - his teachers and head of year knew him for years and us - as rule polite rule followers which helped push back on some of the insane accusations and get past restrictions ( many offered to talk to SLT as couldn't believe accusations) . I think if we had reputation as difficult or he had that would have been impossible situation to manage. As it is made it harder to deal with any issue youngest had arise - have to rely on teachers who TBF are usually really good.

Just get some ordinary black shoes for school. Keep the DMs for fun.

Problem solved - or at least this one.

I wish I'd that sort of money to burn when my children were at school. DMs or similar - (£100+?) for an 11 year old. The soles will be barely worn by the time she's grown out of them.

Rules are rules

Part of the reason behaviour is bad in schools is that parents find reasons why their particular child doesn't have to follow the rules. It's a dreadful message to send to your child. You should tell your DD that they are not allowed and that is that. And you should buy her the correct footwear that complies with the uniform policy.

What a fuss about nothing. Boots are not uniform in any school anywhere and using 'I can kick bullies' as a reason to wear them is obviously going to get the school even less likely to overlook them! Just buy her some shoes for school FFS

DM boots used to have the nickname shin kickers, (don't know if they still do), I am sure you can figure out why.

You know I wasn’t saying there wasn’t something wrong with the school? Raising red flags about a child choosing shoes to do violence is actually part of dealing with poor behaviour.