To ask where to buy school shoes

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For a 5yo boy just starting school? He will have them scuffed by the end of the first week so I dont want to pay £45 for clarks shoes, but at the same time I dont want to get cheapy ones that aren't good for his feet. I know mumsnet will help me out on this one...

Can I recommend the following site?

www.shoesforkids.co.uk/

I use them every time I need some new school shoes and they are excellent. About £20 cheaper than Clark’s in the shops. I assume they must be old styles.

The M&S ones have scuff proof toes and my VERY active Year 2 daughter has only need one pair each YEAR since nursery! They are great and half the price of Clarks

Will he be in them all day or does the school make them take them off and into crappy non supportive pumps all day (which my children's school does). I spend less on the shoes - next by the way are very good and more on decent black pumps

I bought my son toe zone shoes from sainsburys £18. He outgrew them 2 weeks ago. They lasted the whole year, only started looking a bit scuffed and battered about a month ago. Looking at getting them again this time.

Clarks for me as well. Always lasted well, never had a problem. Only ever replaced them when they grew out of them.

A bit of scuffing doesn't really matter, a few weeks in all the kids shoes will look the same.

unfortunately they are expensive, I'm afraid you've got to suck that up.

John Lewis fit shoes and have some of their own brand... DD1 (age 11) had leather shoes for £15 last year because they were in sale.

Usually though we go to Clarks outlets. Less choice but as long as they fit, the quality is good etc I don't care.

DS has wrecked cheap shoes from supermarkets in two weeks. Clarks shoes have lasted until he's grown out of them. In my experience buying cheap shoes is a false economy, but everyone is different and not all children seem as determined to destroy their shoes as my child!

When kids were younger had two to three pairs of clarks a year because of foot growth.

I bought cheap ones once and they lasted about two weeks.

Now they are at secondary. Last year i only bought one pair of clarks each which lasted the whole year. And if feet havent grown will last some of next year too.

Have bought Clark's since my boys started school - one pair a year each and have lasted the whole year. One is 'heavy on shoes' - constantly running about, playing football etc, and both walk through fields and rough ground daily to get to and from school. Now aged 12 and 14. Honestly wouldn't buy from anywhere else - the price per wear easily outweighs the initial cost.

Anyone have any experience of Kangol shoes? I've seen some nice ones and DS seems to like them but I'd like to know if they will last past the October holidays!

At that age, Daichmans. They are reasonably priced and sturdy. Their feet grow fast at that age and get through shoes quickly, so seems silly to spend 40 or 50 quid on them.

Personally Marks and Spencer or clarks. Sainsburys fell apart after 3 weeks. Had 4 pairs over past couple years. Shoe zone are not worth the time of day, deichmann are also utterly appealing and a nightmare to get refunded. M and S a bit cheaper than clarks but the scuff proof rubber front are great for boys playing football and using scooters. I find both of these last until they grow out. Keep an eye out as I got my boys there in the sale in clarks last year from 45 to 18

And the winner is................
Kickers! £35 and he is delighted with them. Thanks for all your input everyone

Clark’s or startrite. Both last and are well fitted plus they can do themselves for pe etc when younger. A teacher doesn’t have time to help with boots etc.

I'm buying Bobux for my son. Yes they are expensive but he finds them really comfy and will be wearing them.all day. They wear trainers outside to play.

Up until recently I've always bought from Clarks, they have always been outgrown before they have been scuffed. However both Ds (7&5) outgrew their shoes a couple of weeks before the end of term and I didn't want to spend lots of money on new shoes so bought supermarket ones. Both pairs were scuffed and looking really tatty by the last day of term so I'll be returning to Clarks (well Clarks outlet) for September shoes.