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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think these shoes are within uniform regulations?

77 replies

freddiefrog · 09/09/2013 09:53

Eldest daughter started secondary school last Wednesday.

This morning, helpfully Hmm, she informs me that she was spoken to about her shoes on the way out of school on Friday afternoon as they weren't uniform regulation.

These are the shoes www.clarks.co.uk/p/20355020

The shoe guidelines from their uniform regulations:
Black shoes; no trainers, platform shoes, ?Uggs?, open toe, canvas shoes or sling backs. Heels should be no higher than 2"

She was in a bit of a panic going in this morning as they've had dire warnings about being sent home or taught in isolation if they don't have correct uniform, but there wasn't a lot I could do about it at 8:15am. She should have told me Friday, but even then, as far as I can see, there's nothing actually wrong with them.

Black - check
Not trainers, platform, open toe, canvas, Uggs or slingbacks - check
Heel lower than 2" - check

I'm really not prepared to buy more shoes. If school want to be really particular about shoes, they should be clearer when they send out the uniform regulations.

OP posts:
TheOriginalSteamingNit · 09/09/2013 10:12

I think they are fine - and I think you would struggle at the moment to find anything completely 'plain'!

BackforGood · 09/09/2013 10:13

Agree with everyone else - they look like perfect school shoes to me. I too was expecting some 'regulation dodging pair' before I clicked the link Blush.

BrokenSunglasses · 09/09/2013 10:13

The school are being OTT. I'd be very surprised if shoes like that really are against the schools policy.

Ledkr · 09/09/2013 10:14

My dd has those exact shoes and has just started secondary with very strict uniform policy. No probs.
What is actually wrong with them? You can't get shoes that are just plain black with absolutely no detail.
As they are from the Clarks school range she can't be the only one with them surely?

Remotecontrolduck · 09/09/2013 10:15

Oh for goodness sake, where do some teachers get off.

I suspect it's just one old dragon who enjoys picking on pupils, and the rest of the staff will have no problems with them. How could you have a problem with shoes like that?! Confused

Ignore, there's no way they'd send her home!

Theas18 · 09/09/2013 10:18

Mind you, if they DID send her home for wearing decent clarks school shoes to, umm .... school that is a story I'd love to see the school defend in the local press LOL

bearleftmonkeyright · 09/09/2013 10:18

My dd has also just started secondary school wearing these shoes. Very strict, New uniform for whole school. Yanbu.

Remotecontrolduck · 09/09/2013 10:19

I was about to say that Thea, they would be a nationwide laughing stock!

It must just be one very mean or short sighted teacher!

soverylucky · 09/09/2013 10:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

soverylucky · 09/09/2013 10:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IneedAsockamnesty · 09/09/2013 10:22

Email the school with the link to the shoes and ask them to list exactly what is wrong with them with regards to the school policy if nothing request that they instruct staff to cease telling her off.

Print of email response and give to dd to carry with her for the next time that staff member has problems with the shoes.

quoteunquote · 09/09/2013 10:22

Completely ridiculous, I fully expected to open the link and for some silly shoes with heel and silly attachments,

Those are perfectly sensible normal school shoes, who ever suggested otherwise needs a good talking to,

Supply your child with some notes to hand to anyone questioning her about her uniform, asking them not to make her uncomfortable and to contact you to discuss any queries.

soverylucky · 09/09/2013 10:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
freddiefrog · 09/09/2013 10:22

Thanks!

A lot of her friends were wearing similar last year so I'd imagine a fair few of them will have similar again this year.

We live in the arse end of nowhere and Clarkes or Brantano are it for school shoes so I'd imagine a fair few of the girls will be wearing them.

I'm new to the world of high school so I wondered if I was missing something.

Email sent to school with link to shoes so we'll see what they say.

OP posts:
Scholes34 · 09/09/2013 10:23

It must just be one very mean or short sighted teacher! and a teacher who isn't currently buying school shoes for their offspring.

Ledkr · 09/09/2013 10:24

Where else would you wear those shoes anyway? Not exactly a fashion choice are they?
Did you e mail yet?

Floggingmolly · 09/09/2013 10:27

What's wrong with them?? My dd has a similar pair, as do most of her friends and their school is militant about correct uniform; every item only available (at ridiculous expense) from Peter Jones, no cheapo Tesco stuff for us.
I genuinely can't see anything wrong with them.

Original poster
freddiefrog · 09/09/2013 10:56

Not exactly a fashion choice are they?

I don't know, brogues are very in round here now.

Maybe that's why the teacher didn't like them, but they need to be more specific when writing their guidelines. Although it seems a bit unreasonable to ban brogues just because they're currently fashionable, when they fit their guidelines in all other ways. They're not exactly "bells and whistles" type shoes are they?

Email sent, just awaiting response. If they say the shoes are OK, I'll print it off and give it to DD to take into school with her

OP posts:
NoComet · 09/09/2013 11:09

WTF, most of the girls in DDs Y7 had black brogues like that, DD is still wearing hers in Y8.

They are the best school shoes we have ever had. Actually keep the puddles out and stay looking smart.

Tell them to take a running jump.

Scholes34 · 09/09/2013 12:27

My daughter's brogues were bought last year and were acceptable to her because they were on the fashionable side. I don't see the problem with having these "fashionable" school shoes. They're certainly practical and conform to the school's rules.

Pachacuti · 09/09/2013 13:25

They'll come back with an amendment to the policy wording:

Black shoes; no trainers, platform shoes, ?Uggs?, open toe, canvas shoes or sling backs. No shoes that any child of the same age would be seen dead in voluntarily. Heels should be no higher than 2". Shoes may not look nice .

WhoremoaneeGrainger · 09/09/2013 14:06

My Dd has also just started high school last week, and wore similar shoes to those (she has size 8 feet, and they were the most practical ones we agreed on). I hope they don't complain about hers, 'cos they actually cost £56....on top of over £200 quid for a new uniform, plus new "non marking sole" trainers and new footie boots.

And after what i saw walking out of the school on Friday.......well. There would have to be almost half the girls sent home if those shoes aren't acceptable.

GoldenGytha · 09/09/2013 14:15

They look fine to me, can't understand why the teacher has a problem, unless it's something so ridiculous like those shoes are very masculine looking, and might the teacher be very old fashioned and have a problem with girls wearing what she sees as boys shoes?

That isn't my opinion, btw, just thought the teacher might be thinking along those lines.

Ledkr · 09/09/2013 14:44

Is it the stitching they object to?
I'm wondering wear one can buy smooth black shoes!

valiumredhead · 09/09/2013 14:56

They are so sensible they are the sort of shoes I would've hated as school shoes when I was a teenGrin

Some schools are quite mad!