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.

@ChiefWiggumsBoy at the time there were more pressing issues but along with this and other issues I think it’s time they got a letter.

They are shoes but I would not describe them as formal shoes.

But why on earth does a teenager need formal shoes?! Its school, not the Queens funeral 🙄

@kittensinthekitchen no I dont think I’m making it into a bigger issue due to previous experience. It just helps to know how fixed thinking and no relenting they are!

I was busy dealing with a much bigger mistake by the school at the time. One i have just resolved. They really are incompetent with SEN.

In your school do you insist the shoes must be leather?

We had a shoe malfunction one morning, so I sent my daughter to school in a pair of black Skechers until I could buy some school shoes.
They made her wear a loan pair a size too big. Then I was asked at pick-up time when the new pair would be arriving. It's like an infantile interrogation, but that's not uncommon with schools is it?

In the picture it's quite clear the school have amended the style of shoe they expect all pupils to wear. However, it does seem a rather ill-thought-out retrograde step.

100% agree with you and that this is a waste of NHS time. It’s also a waste of time for the school and puts more stress on the parents. I work at the head office of large company and i’m allowed to wear converse. Schools should get with 2023. Just let people be comfortable.

OP
Ive just picked up on your comment and another PPs about the leather aspect.
Whilst ours were not allowed Velcro ( only when they were young) they didn’t define leather as a requirement as some religions and of course non meat eaters will not wear animals skin.

This is probably irrelevant im just surprised that schools would insist on this. It perhaps shows how little policies have been thought through.

Guessing your eldest is old enough now for studs.
Trust me the wide feet issue for football boots is ridiculous.
All of mine have very wide feet and ended up wearing boot sizes much bigger than normal shoes. There are makes out there, but be prepared to spend a long long time trying boots on.

Exactly why?

My eldest is only 2 years old, but I’m reading this thread with interest as he has orthotic insoles in his shoes due to hypermobility. His insoles don’t fit in most shoes without me being able to remove the original insole, most of which (especially in Clarks) are really stuck down. So i’m sure i’ll be in a battle with thr school about this and i’ll be disappointed if i have to waste nhs time with a letter.

I do hope your ds is being taught good manners at his school as it appears you would be incapable of teaching him.
You are incredibly rude.
Fwiw OP YADNBU and the shoes are perfectly OK.

Look like shoes to me

I agree, and I really don't understand why schools are so anal about all this stuff. Plenty of countries manage to educate children perfectly effectively without them wearing uniforms at all.

The girls' shoes deemed acceptable by OP's school are shite, imo. Girls wouldn't be able to run properly in most of them, because they're so low in the front. I don't think that's uncommon, either, a colleague's DD was sent home with a note last year because she was wearing lace-up brogues. Why the fuck shoes that are acceptable for boys aren't deemed acceptable for girls beats me. Surely schools shouldn't be perpetuating gender stereotypes like this?

As for "office" shoes, they don't know wtf they're talking about. When I went into the office last week, the finance director was wearing (lovely!) dark green tasselled loafers and another director was in deck shoes. I had my Birkenstock flip flops on, a female senior manager was in Veja trainers and the head of comms in Fit Flops. This isn't a laid back tech company either, it's 3rd sector.

Tbh you sound like an absolute nightmare parent for the school talking about “challenging power imbalances”. Of course individual needs need to be considered but secondary schools with thousands of students would not work if every parent’s desires were indulged.

You need to drop the personal crusade and take a more pragmatic approach.

Why did he put on a stupid accent?

I don’t think I’ll ever understand the U.K. obsession with school uniform. Workwear has changed so much over the last 50 years, so even the few who go into formal offices as adults are unlikely to be dressed as formally as some schools insist on.

Whats wrong with a colour scheme, e.g. jumper/cardigan/polo/trousers/shorts/skirt/pinafore/tights/socks/sensible shoes in designated colours and be done with it? Comfortable for all day learning, which is more practical based now than ever, affordable for parents and suitable for our changing climate.

I say this as a parent and a teacher.

Jesus, what absolute lunacy. Don't the schools have more important things to concentrate on than this North Korea bullshit? There are no boots on the suitable list either so what are kids expected to wear in snow/ice/heavy rain?

Can I ask what shoes have to do with a good education?
And why are the girl’s shoes so dreadful. No support .

Lol sorry I was talking about arctic monkeys

So what are parents (or kids, for that matter) who are vegan for ethical reasons supposed to do if the school insists on leather shoes?

I think a uniform policy that requires anyone to resile from their perfectly reasonable beliefs, rather than accepting them, is displaying a dreadful lack of respect for the views of others.

I hope you didn't take that as a rebuke! I'm just fuming on your behalf!

@SummerDuck you sound absolutely mental.

The point is not to change policy to suit every individual. The point is that IT DOESN'T MATTER and enforcing a ridiculous policy is madness. A black shoe is a black shoe.

And why do you seemingly think a Head so apparently focused on giving a good education would not be interested in a teacher being so gung-ho in their enforcement of such a dumb uniform policy?

They are school shoes suitable for primary but not secondary. Don't forget uniform is not compulsory in any state primary

They are trainers. These have one piece soles, shoes have a sole and separate heel. It really doesn't matter what Clarks call them, they are trainers.

A uniform policy may not make your children get A*s but it will prepare them for the world of work where they may have to follow a dress code. It also makes them realise there is such a thing as discipline and rules are rules. Many have no understanding of discipline and rules.

This is exactly what I think. I can’t tell what you’re hoping to achieve. You can correct power imbalances etc etc in a day.
You have plenty of evidence to get yourself an exception to the rule for your son. That would be the best use of your time, as I suggested up thread. Focus on ensuring he gets an exception to the rule.