So are these school shoes or trainers

[Shoesortrainers]

School have published their amended policy from Sept. This style is showed as unacceptable as they apparently trainers.

Er no they are school shoes and they
are the ONLY ones that fit my wide footed , high instep child. Believe me we’ve tried and tried over the years. They are just like me unfortunately. Plus sensory issues too.

School shoes must also be black and of polishable leather (they are!)

School refusing to budge. In fact the teacher dealing with uniform is being very rude and obstructive.

So Mumsnet are these shoes or trainers.

To me these are 100% shoes. Pretty much every child in my son’s class has shoes like this. Also, the school I work in are very hot on ‘no trainers’ and these would definitely be allowed.

This is red herring. Your problem with DC1 is our failing school system, due to MATs taking over, driving good teachers out and having ridiculously strict rules for staff as well as students, plus years of cost-cutting driving good teachers out. There are not enough teachers in the profession to allow all students to flourish. For that, I am completely on board with you but without more money and tougher regulations on MAT bosses in regards to working conditions, nothing there will improve.

The second is the uniform. You are literally going to get no where being rude, in fact it could get worse as they could be told in order to protect their employees, they are not allowed contact with you unless in an emergency. We've had plenty of parents who were not violent, just rude, barred from things like school plays and parents evenings. You are not in a strong enough position to take any tones with them without it backfiring on you. Schools can be very toxic places. Your best bet is just to take the uniform pictures into town one day and just go into every shoe shop and ask the staff if they can help.

@FlamingoQueen I have checked and new policy has been uploaded finally ( I mentioned it wasn’t on website to this teacher - the author of the policy)

I disagree that shoes these days are trainers but hey ho. I’m no longer at school so it doesn’t really impact me either way

Our secondary wouldn't allow those I'm afraid, they specifically state no Velcro which did worry me last summer when I was getting DS ready for Year7 as he's got tiny size 3 feet and wasn't able to do laces at that point. One school year later and he's got used to them, though we are on our third pair of shoes because he walks there and back (30 mins each way). He didn't have a choice but we got there and found Clark's to be the worst option, Next have been the most comfortable for hon though we still have days he drags his feet home and his laces are hanging open 🙈

Very clearly shoes.

They are the kind of shoes my dc wore in primary.

For secondary, dc's school has sent similar images to the one you've been sent. The dividing line seems to be about having a separate heel.

However dc has worn m&s lace up shoes (which have an upper that looks more shoe like than the clarks ones you linked) that don't have a separate heel and hasn't been pulled up on it.

If your dc has SEN I would email the school. Otherwise have a look and see if you can find something with a separate heel - though I imagine would be tricky to find velcro and separate heel in larger sizes.

But you don't know what his job entails. If this is a properly run school, it will include the teacher in charge of uniform having a degree of discretion to ensure that the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Either the school isn't properly run, or he isn't doing his job.

The OP has not actually stated her DC has been diagnosed with anything and has overlooked the PPs asking.

They are school shoes, my D's has always worn this type for primary. I've not seen many boys wear them for high school, but they are still shoes definitely.

The school are being dicks. The op needs not to be a bigger deck and go to war over this, especially if her dd is going to be new to the school.

Those shoes wouldn't have been allowed at my ds's school - primary or secondary.

Off topic, but why is your dd wearing boys' shoes?

DD was an H (sometimes slightly off the scale). I echo a previous poster and "German" feet German styles. However, in practical terms Start-rite used to come up wider than Clarks. Independent shoe shops do stock some Continental styles - Geox were brilliant for dd.

Alternatively, look at women's lace ups which come in wide fittings: Clarkes do some, New Look and M&S are options, so too might Docs be.

Will your dd want to wear boys' shoes at 12 when all the other girls are in unsuitable ballerina styles?

Don't be that parent op - not over a pair of shoes.

The older I get the more ridiculous I think school uniform is. Jeans, Jersey or sweatshirt, trainers just as in France- job done. French youngsters look so much better than ours in their I'll fitting polyester blazers, badly cut trousers and shirts, and all the girls here seem.to wear ankle socks with a too short skirt. It's a great look enhanced by regulation shoes.

It's a deeply British problem. If only schools focused as much on the quality of teaching which would be supported by more emphasis on improving behaviour and ensuring the experience of the many is not diluted by the behaviour of the few.

Yes they are a school shoe, but I can see how they are a bit juvenile for secondary school.

Just that it's classed as a new school and Ofsted hasn't got around to inspecting it since that happened. Ofsted will still be coming, and the Ofsted reports from its previous incarnation will still have relevance, especially if they had the same head and senior leadership team.

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts thanks for your input. Clearly I have misread the quote below where the op mentions the style is unacceptable because they are apparently trainers.

"School have published their amended policy from Sept. This style is showed as unacceptable as they apparently trainers."

Is there some reason why you feel the need to police my comment, surely the op is able to correct me or ignore me if I'm wrong?

Shoes.
Go to the Governors and cite discrimination as there are sensory issues involved.

I got my daughter's school to accept girls wearing boots in the Winter. I went through the Governors.

I really cannot understand some schools' attitudes.

Sorry, can't quote and already quoted post on phone (I've asked MN, they just shrug).

Anyway, OP studded boots for football are a standard requirement in secondary school.

My son's secondary have recently allowed the completely black Nike air force to be worn. Good. Means school shoes can be worn outside of school.

What gets me so cross is none of those acceptable shoes are good if you walk or cycle to school!

They are black polishable shoes (according to Clarks). They are definitely not trainers. They are trying to stop kids wearing the sort of black trainers you get from Sports Direct.
I’ve had to fight my dd wearing a blazer (sensory issues). School even sent me a link to a suitable blazer - except the link went to aged 7 boys trousers and despite a search on the internet, I was unable to find one. It was a case of my daughter was either in school and comfortable or I wouldn’t be able to get her in! I was lucky that they listened.
Could you start by buying your dd a cheap pair of other shoes and then every day she goes to the medical area and says her feet are hurting her - can they call you to bring in her other pair? Is she brave enough to refuse to go out at breaks because she cannot walk in her shoes? I know this is extremely petty, but after a phone call each day you may be able to prove a point!
I am so fed up with secondary schools being bullies when there are a million and one other issues going on!

They wouldn't have been allowed at my children's schools (either prep or secondary) - but that was clear at the outset, and they didn't suddenly change the rules.

I used to hate the flimsiness of girls' shoes as opposed to boys' shoes. My DD could shred a pair of apparently sturdy Start Rite lace-ups within a month. My DSs' shoes lasted far longer, and they were just as inclined to rough play as she was.

OP, just a thought - have you looked at Hotter? I know it has an 'old lady' reputation, but the shoes are comfortable and durable, and they cater for very wide feet. My DD is an H plus with a high instep, and I ended up getting her school shoes from there.

Those are trainers and it boils my pee as boys get to year shorts, they were shoes like trainers and in winter long trousers!! Girls have to wear impractical proper shoes, skirts that flash their knickers and tights!! Who in the world thinks tights are comfortable!! Get your son some proper school shoes and feel sorry for these poor girls!!

OP has clarified further down the thread by including what the school actually said.

Maybe you should RTFT instead of sniping at people? 🙄

BTW a school that can write "complementary of" in a formal communication needs to go back to school.

They're more trainer like than shoes as they're not very smart. I couldn't see them going well with a wedding suit for example, which smart school shoes should.

That is ridiculous. Lots of the shoes in the school info would be terrible for growing feet. This uniform thing is absolutely daft. I say this as a secondary school teacher.

The OPs child is a girl...