Help me parse "school shoes" vs. trainers

Polishable shoe means leather or fake leather basically. Shoes you can use shoe polish on. They can be lace up, slip on or Mary Jane style. They are comfortable to wear and leather lets your feet breathe. Trainers are sneakers

But they tick all the requirements

Thanks for this which answers my question about the shoes being secondhand.

@ysette9 I am also intrigued that you don't or didn't know what trainers were. Is that bc you have never come across them, or are they called something different where you come from? Have you really never seen anyone wearing something like this:
www.nike.com/gb/t/mc-trainer-3-workout-shoes-0F20Pb

These would have been fine at my DCs schools (London, primary and secondary) so I think the best way forward is just ask the school. Don't go into the whole thing about getting them and colouring them in, just send them a photo, say these are the shoes you have for your child and do they meet school policy.

This isn’t the case for barefoot shoes, which is what the OP is after.

As they are minimalist, zero drop, flexible and foot shaped, you don’t have the same issues and gait problems causing uneven wear that you do when you shove your children’s feet into “traditional” school shoes.

They look scruffy where you’ve coloured them black

I don't think they're acceptable.

Plus...second hand shoes from Ebay??? Really?

Gosh, unusual for SLT to teach reception.

Could have been worse though. Our reception teachers had to store a dozen boaters (Head with hat fetish).

M&S do shirts with a fake button and velcro underneath. Those and a clip on tie saw us through Infants.

@Lady1576 has nobody ever taught the teachers that socks should be the same or a darker colour than the shoes 😀. I loved the class my children's teachers brought to the table.

I agree with everyone else that it would be good to speak to someone from the school. It does totally depend of the school, DS's school is very strict on shoes and even some of the Clarks styles aren't acceptable. Where as my school is fine as long as they are black leather and no logo's. So they are a bit more flexible.

They wouldn't be acceptable at DS's school and they do have uniform inspection and would get a warning for them.

To echo others, go to Clarks or John Lewis and ask for school shoes.

Unless he’s 20 and has stopped growing, they won’t be “forever” shoes and you can get something different when you know the lay of the land.

If you’re concerned about the health of your child’s feet then don’t buy second hand shoes. Shoes mould to their owner’s feet, so won’t fit a second owner’s foot properly. Those in your link look well worn.

No. But as it was the uniform code and theh reception teacher was an Assistant Head, perhaps they could have stopped whingeing, don't you think? They certainly had more influence over the rules than the parents or children.

Imagine being in SLT discussing sock colour and the direct impact on attainment. Honestly! 😂😂

Actually @ysette9 I’m a bit confused. Did you buy those shoes from eBay? And then black out the soles? Is that the second pic you posted? They look very worn, which would not be my choice for my DC. You feel very strongly about foot development, so I am surprised that well-worn secondhand shoes are acceptable to you. Unless I have totally misunderstood and this is a pair your DC have had from new and worn in, in which case apologies.

I infer you have an image of the horrifyingly ugly (quite likely) shoes that your DC’s school finds acceptable – are you happy to post it here, as that will give us all a decent steer?

OP, as opinions differ on this thread, can you ask the school?? Make it clear you have already bought the shoes ( if I have understood correctly?) and send a photo. I reckon they’ll be happy with them but really hard to predict

Those shoes you show look like sensible school shoes to me. So maybe I don’t get it either 🤣It doesn‘t look like they are brand new shoes, so I would just send him in those and see what they say. Unless he‘s super sensitive and having it mentioned would ruin his first day… I think these will get through and if they don‘t, he’ll most likely be asked to change them by the end of the week. If that happens go to Clarks and pick from their school section. I know it‘s annoying but not worth getting too deep about.

As others say @ysette9 it varies by school. My DCs’ school said black, polishable (so not canvas), no logos (so all-black Nikes not ok, nor the eBay pair you posted), no boots, low heel or flat.

Then they changed it to say no trainer-style shoes; DS was a big footballer at lunchtime and the Clarks school shoes that were lace-up in a trainer style came under this heading – IIRC I called the school out on this and they agree he could wear them – this kind of thing.
https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/urban-solo-older/26178424-p

The school I worked in was OK with trainers as long as they were plain black; from a different thread some schools are OK with Nike Airforce 1s but they would be too logoed for either my DCs' school or where I worked.

ETA: I see you have updated @ysette9 yes the ones you linked at first would not be any good – they have a logo and the sole would probably need to be black. The Clarks ones I have pasted in here would be OK tho I think.

Or these are even better (sorry these are for a boy rather than a girl as a rule) – no one could argue with these and they look comfortable and practical to me.
https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/lorcam-edge-youth/26178303-p
ETA: pix not showing so have added links

Do you think the reception teacher and TA devised the uniform code 😂?

I’m afraid they wouldn’t pass at our school as they look too casual / trainer like. Can you go to Clarks and get some from there. Normally they have a slight heal.

It's still worth getting feet professionally measured even if shoes aren't bought from the shop.

DD had very narrow feet, and I often ended up getting her shoes from Clinkards.

Gorgeous. But also a trainer.
Would much rather dc be in barefoot than squeezing their foot into a clarks brogue.

Just go with something like this

https://www.startriteshoes.com/products/glitch-black-leather-boys-lace-up-school-shoes?_gl=1176ik4d_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5c_FBhDJARIsAIcmHK-iCkWVvcCcKzEuY10uwjZz72rHheKO8e5dtCiExDwomAyCOfdRJAwaAqdGEALw_wcB&gbraid=0AAAAAD7OCwBQ07mmkTAz2Ycy-rVnNWaEn

Looks like your school has a very strict shoe
policy

You just need sensible rules then. When my dc were four years old (now 30 and 27) they had to wear proper cotton shirts and a tie. The reception teacher and ta never stopped whingeing about the children not having mastered buttons and ties. I suggested that it might be easier if four year olds had polos and the look I got. I didn't mind the traditional uniform back then but I did mind the constant whingeing which I found illogical.

Why would you buy second hand shoes from EBay if you’re concerned about good foot support? That doesn’t make sense. And colouring in the logo will look messy.