Help me word an email to the school that isn't full of expletives please.

[ReanimatedSGB]

I know I can do better that 'For fuck's sake, you petty-minded bunch of cunts', of course...

DS got a day in inclusion (ie isolation) because of his shoes. They are, admittedly, not quite regulation shoes, though they are plain black - but he was wearing them because his normal school shoes were discovered to have a fucking great hole in on Sunday evening. He wore the not-quite-right shoes yesterday and there was no problem - I got home from work too late to take him shoe-shopping as my shift overran - but I got a phone call at work this morning saying they were 'unacceptable' and he would either be sent home or have to spend the day in inclusion. I was halfway up the M4 at the time. I explained the reason and that we were going to buy a new pair tomorrow (because I wouldn't be home till 7pm), but they said if he didn't have proper shoes in the morning it would be the same thing again.
Mercifully our nearest Sainsburys is open till 10pm and is one of those big enough to have a clothing and footwear department, so we have actually got new shoes, but what the fuck is the point of taking a well-behaved kid out of class for the day when he's only wearing not-quite-right shoes for a perfectly good reason.

"Also, it's quite lucky that I have enough spare cash for shoes this week. If it was rent week, I might not have done, and he would have had to miss two or three days schooling, because there are times when i literally have no spare money at all, let alone the minimum of £15 for a pair of school shoes."

Exactly SGB. I wonder how these schools are going to cope when three more million families are transferred over to UC and cant afford to buy replacement school shoes at the drop of a hat or ANY school shoes!

Im guessing isolation wont be isolation any more as there will be so many students in there or schools will have to start building extensions to house more isolation rooms.

Agreed ReanimatedSGB. I would have thought most people don't buy two pairs of school shoes.

There is generally a period between shoes getting worn out and being totally unwearable though, during which you can plan to buy new ones.

At DC's school you have to wear black plimsolls if you don't have appropriate school shoes. The DC hate them so much there are very rarely incidents of DC turning up in the wrong shoes. Odd how this happens ...

And these academies wonder why their sixth forms aren't sustainable.

It's because pupils like my DS and his friends vote with their feet and opt for non-uniform, non-sanction-crazy, non-nuts sixth form colleges to do their A levels.

We gave his uniform away to a teacher who supplies kids who didn't have the 'right' clothes. Makes me so pissed off that's even necessary in an urban state school. Good on that lovely teacher, though.

"Because often schools have rules about having to wear correct uniform to and from school."

yes but then turn a blind eye to bullying which happens to and from school saying it didnt happen on school grounds so not their problem.

They want it both ways.

Oh dearie me. DD1 came home today - the sole has fallen off her 2-month old school shoe. Have tried to superglue it back together but it won't hold. Can't get to a shop as my car has broken down. Finding size 4 girls school shoes is close to impossible - shops just don't seem to stock them, so loads of shopping around needs to be done. She goes to an academy.

Hell knows what she's going to wear to school tomorrow . Might have to send her in in her bright pink welllies .

My dd's school was like this sent them to isolation for the tiniest of uniform infringement. It was a joke. When they and others didn't like that day's lessons, they would walk into school with their uniform wrong. Little things such as the fucking tie not done properly because we all know that having a tie that is a bit loose impacts learning.
Of course, I used to have words with my dd's at first.
Then I started to question the school's insane policies.
One time one of them was sent because the elastic in her pe socks went and the sock fell down. I mean wtaf is that about? A day in isolation for that.
Isolation was sitting in a room doing nothing. How is that better than sitting in a classroom learning with a loose tie? The school used to spout some bollocks about preparing for work. Always went over their heads when I pointed out that none of the female staff wore ties, or knee-length socks, or a certain shoe colour or type.

Ds' school far saner. Isolation is used as it should be for disruptive students. You know those ones that disrupt the education for the class and themselves. They are also given work to do whilst in isolation.

Uniform has no relevance to working life. My dd's despite them spending a lot of useless days in inclusion both made office manager before the age of 20.

Rather than ranting what can we do about this?

It is clear that no pupils or parents are consulted on uniform rules nor does there ever seem to be a risk assessment made on this. We need to get angry and get organised but also find a solution.

My dcs secondary school has a supply of new shoes if they don't have "regulation" shoes.
No money for important things but money to waste on shoes to sit there just in case a child dare wear a no regulation shoe.

I actually emailed and asked what part of my dd plain black leather shoe with no heel didn't meet up to their guidelines as we were confused. Somebody was getting back to me. 14 months still waiting for a reply

I HATE the ridiculous attitude some high schools have towards shoe rules. I still remember my sons first day in year 7, I had tried so hard to get him shoes that fit with their over the top policy but apparently I failed. He along with a number of others were singled out before they even got to enter class and had a telling off from the head teacher. So when I called him from work to see how his first day had gone I was so disappointed to hear that all he could talk about was how horrible it was to have been told off on his first day. I was so angry I called the school and got it off my chest!

When my DS's school became an academy they changed the tracksuit rules.

Plain black only. No logos at all, not even small ones. No stripes, not even thin ones. No colours other than black, even for zips.

The school uniform supplier didn't even sell these magical costumes.

Fucking. Pathetic.

Yanbu, these petty rules are ridiculous.

Rather than ranting what can we do about this? It is clear that no pupils or parents are consulted on uniform rules nor does there ever seem to be a risk assessment made on this. We need to get angry and get organised but also find a solution.

MN campaign? @MNHQ

I’d definitely be up for a campaign. I am actually in favour of uniforms but when they are imposed as a general rule and not when it is done strictly.

I’m more than happy with a uniform that is available from supermarkets or a cheap supplier and with a general colour or style for shoes. The whole measuring of skirts, blazers on at all times and being put in isolation for not having the right shoes drives me batshit.

Despite growing up when relaxed uniforms were the norm at school, I managed to get a professional job where I sometimes where a uniform. There are rules but we are allowed some individuality. Lots of other times I wear jeans or super casual stuff. Not seen anyone wearing a tie at work in years. Where on earth school think this mythical world of work is where absolutely everyone must wear uniform or a suit baffles me.

Could someone else not have taken him to get shoes on Monday - you did say you had a Sainsbury's near you?

Campaign sounds like a great idea.

Just posting again to tag @MNHQ about a campaign .

TooStressyForMyOwnGood
I personally couldn't care less uniform or not uniform.

In my experience when schools have most parents and students who follow the rules (spirit and letter) and get on with it tend to be the ones with simple uniform rules and simple behaviour policies.
When you've got schools where a reasonable portion of students and parents who try to find every loophole they can, don't follow rules tends to be the ones with very prescriptive uniforms (because plain black school shoes to some idiots means black trainers with some branding because it makes no difference in my opinion).

I have no time for head teachers being ridiculous but have some sympathy when they have to tighten things up.

Plain black only. No logos at all, not even small ones. No stripes, not even thin ones. No colours other than black, even for zips

Yes they make it sodding impossible don't they. First glance seems reasonable. Ooh plain black or navy sweat shirt. Then you realise that despite being able to pick one up In Tesco for a fiver, they stipulate no hoods, no embroidery, no zip or whatever.

Isn't it a good job for 20 quid plus that the one supplier sells it

And why the fuck are plain black shadow striped shorts allowed. But skorts have to he logod costing twice the price of their plain black or navy counterparts sold on the high street.

Base layer can be purchase separately. Ooh brilliant. But no piping . No logo even though it's fucking under the uniform tops. Every tried finding an all black non logod no piping base layer ? Never mind buy ours for 16 quid. you're welcome

Maisy, but in primary students and parents can follow the spirit of the rules rather than the letter. It seems to suddenly change in secondary to some kind of prison rule. Eg at my kids’ primary they would prefer you to have black shoes but as long as you have something sensible on your feet that is fine. Result is almost all the kids actually have black shoes / boots anyway as parents are happy to follow the rules as long as some choice is involved. Shoes are also weather appropriate.

In fact one school near us kids can wear anything on their feet. Sure, lots wear brands but lots don’t and as an outsider it doesn’t seem to matter. Kids and staff seem happy. Unless I am missing massive fights and pressure to buy certain brands being a massive discipline issue?

And what do they mean by plain black shoes?

Have you tried buying a pair of girls brogues they have none if that patterning on?

If you take that to mean no patent. None of that detailed leather pattern stuff.

You are pretty much left 72 pound dms as the only option.

Friggin idiots.... my dd was shoved in isolation also...all of a sudden in yr10 her skirt was 2 short.. she is 5ft 8....I purchased 5 skirts.. everyday she was put in there I would turn up and take her home.... prison camps
I was so fed up with it all, I now home ed

Yes insist on one type of skirt them act surprised when the tall and incredibly slim kids or the small kids can't sodding fit them. Wtf do they do that isn't spending a fortune altering what is a perfectly good skirt

TooStressyForMyOwnGood
If I can be honest (and not get flamed), there's a massive difference between a primary child and a teen.

Some of the behaviour some parents excuse as being cute or a little rascal at 6 means by 14 you've got a large teenager being defiant because home haven't said no to them. Or there's been so many issues with the child ruling the roost at home that what was a 10 year old strop becomes a 13 year old who'll punch walls and kick off. Combined that parents who'll give lots of control to kids, have their own chips on their shoulders about secondary school and you get students who think rules don't apply to them and parents who enable it.

I've literally heard parents say it's fine for their kid to be excluded for persistent defiance (basic rules refused followed by verbally abusing staff) because thry did alright in life without teachers interfering. I've had parents yell at me because I told their child to take jewellery off. I can remember a parent lying to my face in a meeting that their childs skirt is below the knees so they dont know how it gets so short at school (the skirt rolled down was 1 inch below the bum and was flashing pants when rolled). On demonstrating this, the parent insinuated that my male colleague shouldn't be looking anyway!
I've had parents who, in response to their child being pulled up for makeup worthy of an oompa loompa, was to get their child a spray tan, lash extensions and eyebrow tints so that school couldn't get their child to remove make up.

The vast majority of children manage just fine with basic uniform rules and if there needs to be adjustments then the vast majority of schools make reasonable adjustments etc and then deal with the minority who are of the mentality above.
Sadly in some schools those sorts of attitude male up 50% or more of your cohort.

As I say, I have no strong feelings either way on uniform but do sympathise with heads sometimes.

In ISOLATION? Because of SHOES?

They're cunts. Call them cunts.