To think Teenage boy school shoes aren’t fit for purpose?

The school may say the same. The name ‘Courts’ suggests indoor sportswear so I could be back reluctantly buying school shoes again before long.

'Being made of leather' is not the defining criterion to distinguish between shoes and trainers!

Completely agree! My 12 year old has size 9 feet and doesn’t want to wear ‘estate agent shoes’ (his words) as he wants to play football every lunchtime but the school won’t allow trainer style school shoes. I got Kickers Tonvi shoes which are probably on the cusp of what he is allowed but I’m hoping his too long school trousers will hide them

It’s so silly. Young male professionals in 2025 wear trainers! Schools need to review the policy for the 21st century.

My son’s M&S leather men’s shoes have lasted a full year - which his Clarks ones never did - and he still plays football.

The Lee cooper shoes in sports direct are leather, wide and cheap.. side 12 was available for my monster.

Clarks Outlet, men's shoes with decent thick rubber soles. £54. Miles better than the £40 Next ones which were basically dress shoes and lasted 6 weeks.

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/products/derek-lace-up-shoe-black

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/products/douglas-shoe-black

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/products/randall-ii-shoe-black

https://www.hushpuppies.co.uk/products/outlaw-ii-shoe-black

Silly when schools won’t allow trainers, my DD is allowed as long as they’re plain black. Can’t see what difference it makes to their learning really, probably helps it because they’re comfortable!

Nike Courts are way too trainer like and are not permitted at DS's school!! They have the sporty air holes in the top and a Nike tick down the side. He'd get sent home in these!

I teach at a school that requires just black footwear so loads of the kids wear these.

Geox here too, we order a few pairs 'try before you pay' on Amazon and send back what we don't want. Last 2 pairs have lasted a full school year each. Not cheap but they're worth it.

My son is 14, size 11 and pretty narrow to boot, and we’ve experienced this issue. We tend to buy shoes from Deichmann’s leather range.
fortunately, he’s not sporty so at least that’s easier?!

https://www.mandmdirect.com/01/details/BS30055?istCompanyId=9f9ff470-bcac-401b-814f-8f12edbd3b8b&istFeedId=d66f05e8-0145-4833-93eb-995bd3c15e0b&istItemId=pwrtiplil&istBid=t&gclsrc=aw.ds&&campaignid=21448490360&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21448490360&gbraid=0AAAAAD5OKP2rAnFa-mGmNplO9dzgLIeov&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_L_FBhDmARIsAItqgt7di8mpNHM0LlTt0PmKu_QK_pfAr94pFjVFz3Cv7ZYGgKzxw9OntJgaAv08EALw_wcB

https://www.schuh.co.uk/mens/schuh-reed-lace-up-black-shoes/3170237060/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces-across-google&utm_campaign=organic-shopping&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21842383142&gbraid=0AAAAAD4NavfNoU3FpA5OTy0UgqKu6yyH-&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_L_FBhDmARIsAItqgt5U_okWoYb3FYXICrQUugKFagQnNEov100xvUPPorBfy_MLK74CMgcaAp87EALw_wcB

https://www.schuh.co.uk/mens/schuh-reece-moccasin-lace-up-black-shoes/3170217060/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces-across-google&utm_campaign=organic-shopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20480134934&gbraid=0AAAAACRNgjgeZ7GEg5KiIvZMgjZt76_v7&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_L_FBhDmARIsAItqgt79ww8Dv4tu-aZwXL5CDV42dXwL7SdSQnjUr7rgDKLP99c3BtqJVrUaAqQmEALw_wcB

some of the options I looked at for my 14 year old?

No they don't carry a spare pair of shoes around all day generally!

My 15 year old has these for school, they seem to be cheap and comfy and meet all the school's rules.
https://www.sportsdirect.com/kangol-harrow-leather-mens-shoes-112081#colcode=11208103

Most secondary schools don't have lockers any more as they take up too much space so it isn't always practical to carry an extra pair of shoes.

DS wore Dr Martens service shoes (no yellow stitching or visible branding plus cheaper) all through secondary school. He is not easy on shoes at all and still never wore them out, just outgrew them

Our school doesn't allow any visible branding, which rules out all decent brands, DS is dyspraxic so laces should be avoided and he is a size 11 with really wide feet. He also cycles to school and plays football at lunchtimes. Shoes are a nightmare, in the end last year I had to buy cheap shoes from Shoe Zone as the only thing that worked, and have actually lasted better than expected.

I'm with you. Size 10 football mad 12 year old here. He got through 3 pairs last year, and that was wearing them until the soles were literally hanging off. This year I've bought Kickers for £32 from Sports Direct. They're a bit trainer-like so school might not like them but I can't go on replacing shoes every term.

Hush puppies

13 year old boy can't change his shoes for football at lunch? No wonder the country is such a mess

Not to alarm you but my son was in size 14 shoes and 6'4 by the time he left school, year 11 was...interesting.
At a size 10 I would have thought there should be plenty of choice for your son but you will struggle if you are trying to find him something suitable to play football in! If he wants to play he would be better taking some trainers in to wear at lunchtime so his shoes are just shoes.

Nike courts. They are made of leather so no one can tell me they are trainers.
I am not putting him in a pair of ridiculous dress shoes or a pair of oversized little boy Clark’s/start-rite shoes. He will wear shoes befitting of a teenage boy in 2025 - ones that don’t make him look a knob.

Yanbu.
Schools need to come into the 20th century and let kids wear trainers to school. They're better for walking in and kicking a ball at breaktime.

No one in my office wears shoes. All in smart trainers, even for meetings.

Just take care to check whether you are looking at US or UK sizes on the Ascent site

Ascent footwear UK site

DS has had shoes from here the last couple of years - wide toe box and he finds them comfortable.

My DS school allow plain black Air Force 1 or similar (with all tags removed) and the vast majority of boys wear them. I resisted for two years and DS had DMs, which were pretty much demolished by the end of a school year. Last year I caved and allowed the £££ Air Force but, honestly, they have been the most hardwearing shoes he has ever owned. We bought them a bit on the big side and they are going strong into their second year. I was also quite surprised when DS tried them on the first time - I thought they looked more like a grandad shoe than a trainer 😂OP, can you present an argument to the school based on a value for money/grandad basis? What are they afraid might happen if the kids wear a plain black trainer-style shoe?