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.

Ha ha at makeup worthy of an oompa loompa

TooStressyForMyOwnGood
Having the spray tan doesn't make them unreachable. What makes them a more difficult child to teach is the attitude they've been given from home that instructions are optional, rules are optional, that you can be rude to staff etc. After all their parents have enabled rule breaking, been rude to staff in their child's presence, and outright lied.

Gileswithachainsaw
Just because something is in a school section doesn't make it uniform.
E.g. there's loads of shoes that are fine for y6 primary but wouldn't be smart enough for secondary. It's the job of parents to read their uniform policy.

Equally (and this is just my opinion), so.e retailers know there's enough parents out there who will spend money on shoes that push the boundary of trainers so they follow the money and make lines accordingly.

One year I saw a peplum pencil style skirt on sale for 6-12 year olds.Equally about 5 years ago I saw some shops selling thin fitted shirts with no buttons from cleavage upwards in the school section. Then there was the year of skorts and skousers. None of them are uniform items but shops know the power of pester power and 'but everyone else is wearing...'
It's irresponsible but they follow the money and judging by how many sad faces are in local papers by September 10th it's easy money.

But giles I do agree with you that some are ridiculous.

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

There is with better quality ones, but not with cheaper ones. Someone posted about the sole falling off 2 or 4 month old shoes, can't remember which it was.

At DC's school you have to wear black plimsolls if you don't have appropriate school shoes
I'd be happy with that for emergencies rather than isolation

I think it's also quite likely that the 'defiant' parents have no respect for authority because they have no experience of anyone in a position of authority ever treating them with any respect whatsoever. If all your encounters with authority involve you being criticized, condescended to, denied what you are asking for or punished in some way, why would you see any merit in 'doing as you're told'?

maisy

I also think especially with secondary schools, that alot of the children not only have to walk all day around the school, bit may well be a long walk or cycle in all weathers to and from school. Not to mention the sheer volume of people and feet need protecting.

For those reasons it seems sensible to me to be purchasing a strong sturdy shoe. So things like the angry angel brogues. The dm brogues and the kickers make sense . They are more weather proof . Warmer. They are just generally sturdy shoes.amd look smart . The idea those wouldn't be ok, because of a tiny green tab that can be cut off or a dot on the bottom of the shoe. And yet walking around in flimsy ballet pump style shoes is ok well it's bonkers surely?

The idea of poor Jessica having to walk two miles home in the rain in a pair of flimsy Mary janes and no coat just because Cory will wear nikes and a Superdry hoody otherwise doesn't sit right

Gileswithachainsaw
All your examples would be allowed in my school.

Sadly at another school up the road you'd get some idiot complaining that you've told their child they can't have a huge diamante buckle on their shoes but you've allowed another child to have kickers. I dont envy them. I wouldn't choose to work in that school because I don't think I would be happy upholding their rules.
ReanimatedSGB
Some it's like that.
Other times it's a historic school chip that's gets passed down within families
Other times it's very naice middle class parents so like to splash the cash and think money somehow makes them exempt
Other times it's affluent parents who are money rich and time poor so think that if they cater to their child's whims and think that if they go in furious over something it makes up for not being around much emotionally.

There's a range of reason.

Ultimately, most parents are totally reasonable and it's ridiculous some choose not to be.

Someone posted about the sole falling off 2 or 4 month old shoes, can't remember which it was.

That was me. The shoes are 2 months old. And they weren't cheap either - not Clarks but not cheap supermarket rubbish.

But the minute those pupils walk into a sixth form college, all that is absolutely fine.

Really glad our school allows kickers boots as they are hard wearing. The dc have quite a long, uphill walk to school. Dd has had hers for a year and they are still in really good condition.

That's really annoying uniquack

PS. i typed my post about kickers before i saw your post in case it looked like i was boasting!

What is this no coats thing. I don't get that
How can teachers drive past the kids in their nice warm cars.

I must have spent the equivilabt to days iver the years searching on line for school coats that fit my requirements. I don't think I've ever seen one that any one could deem offensive.

What's wrong witg a black blue or khaki parka?

Miscible regarding sending students home to sort out uniform - this is allowed and is explained in more detail on this solicitor’s website. It does NOT get logged as an exclusion. I’m afraid you’re wrong.

They can’t stay at home for the day and schools need to consider safeguarding as well.

vhsfletchers.co.uk/school-uniform-policy-law/

Re: part-time timetables. They are legal although as I said they have to be used exceptionally. This is not limited to medical issues. Yes schools do have a duty to educate students full time but reduced timetables are allowed (with parental agreement) so sorry, you’re wrong.

Further guidance is here from Essex county council as an example. There is also a lot more detail on the school leaders’ website TheKey (but this is a subscription service.)

schools.essex.gov.uk/pupils/AECS/Documents/Guidance%20for%20Schools%20on%20the%20Use%20of%20Reduced%20Timetables%20October%202016.docx

And from Newcastle

www.servicestoschools.org.uk/Pages/Download/DEE85FC0-13F4-45EF-9446-53355E308409

And from Kent

www.kelsi.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/74521/Guidance-for-Schools-on-the-Use-of-Reduced-Timetables.pdf

Not sure where you are but there is a school not far from where we live and I'm convinced they enjoy being on the headlines every September with the number of children they put in inclusion for uniform misdemeanours, I think they have totally lost sight of what is important in school and there is absolutely no way (when my children are old enough) that they will go to that's school. I'm not sure where you stand legally but if I were you I'd be asking to see the headteacher and making it very clear that you are not on board with inclusions for this type of situation. Inclusion used to be for children who were causing massive disruption in class, I worked in a secondary school around 15 years ago.

A no coat rule is ridiculous in my opinion.

We say no hoodies, leather or denim jackets but otherwise if you're wearing a coat just have one that's vaguely sensible. By y9 most students choose not to wear coats. I dont get it because on rainy days theu arrive lamenting how cold and wet they are. Unsurprisingly I wonder 'if only we had an item of clothing that could help.

And let's not forget the schools who send out the head lice letters every other day but don't allow very short hair.

Education is supposed to be about critical thinking and the acceptance and defence of arbitrary rules is as uncritical and non-thinking as you can be.

Which is ironic as teaching unquestioning adherence to arbitrary rules now seems to be top of the agenda for schools.

Why do people insist on saying that if OP had sent a note in explaining the situation, she would have had no problem? We know that even when she had explained to them the reason her son was wearing different shoes, they still planned to punish him. Why would sending a note have produced any better reaction?

The sanction was known in advance

Was it, echt? How do you know that?

If a school's rules spell out that they will punish a child for something that is not his fault, they could find themselves in a world of trouble on all sorts of counts.

OP, I'm with you.
I can't believe some of what's been written here.

but reduced timetables are allowed (with parental agreement

Which is why SEND advice lines usually tell parents to make it clear they are not in agreement.

I think black school uniforms and coats - especially for teens are a stupid idea.

How the hell are drivers supposed to spot them when they wander into the roads in the dark on the way to and from school especially when its raining as well?