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.

These are shoes. Teacher here and part of the ever increasing things I have to do is “police” the uniform in my form and report any issues/send them to head of year. I hate this because although I agree there needs to be a uniform policy and it does need following with consequences for
blatant disregard; I feel the way it’s gone in recent years with heads splitting hairs over various insignificant issues, we’ve gone too far. I could not get worked up about these and certainly wouldn’t report them. I’d probably get told off for not reporting them if someone else did though.

This is one of those where it shouldn't bloody matter!
They're all black.
The school should realise that not all styles or footwear or clothing suit all children. And by suit I'm not talking about preferences I'm talking fit and comfort.

Sadly, as many, yours is digging their heels in over it. Stand your ground. Good luck.

If your child has a diagnosed condition that's relates to sensory issues you may need to try a reasonable adjustments/ equality and diversity act type approach.

I remember wearing Jesus sandals to school as a kid. Teachers would spontaneously combust if they saw anything so outrageous at school nowadays. Also, it didn't matter what colour socks you wore, white blue or grey no one gave a rat's ass. What happened?!

Clearly not, given that this school is approving of non-lace-ups.

No good school would cease to work by abolishing uniform and allowing parents to buy what they want within obvious limitations. Witness all the excellent non-uniform schools that are flourishing all over the world, including the UK.

They are informal shoes, more suited to primary.
It's also the case that a lot of high school boys wouldn't be seen dead in Clarks beyond Year 7, regardless of what rules the school has in place.
I think it was in Year 8 that we got a pair of smart Docs that lasted ages. There's a lot of peer pressure in high school and my experience is that those shoes would be considered far too babyish.

My kid has been wearing those very ones at school all year. Definitely school shoes.

Our school simply says 'polishable leather" and I'd estimate 70% of the kids are in Nike Air Force One's or dupes.

It really does feel unnecessary, and bears little resemblance to a lot of offices now which have a more relaxed dress code.

One to take up with the governors?

And yet Clarks make them up to an adult size 10, so they must sell a few to boys who don’t think they’re too babyish.

I have to be honest and say i’m sceptical about teachers being managed out if they challenge the uniform policy. We have a known lack of teachers in the UK, surely if all the teachers stood up together, the school can’t get rid of all of you?
You would think, but unfortunately there's little concern for quality of education in some places.

There are a lot of schools currently managing out experienced teachers who have excellent relationships with pupils and get great results due to a mixture of budgets and wanting a revolving door of bright eyed 20 somethings who won't point out the emperor has no clothes on each time a 'new' teaching and learning initiative is launched.

There are also a lot of schools that manage out pupils who they think will harm their GCSE results. It's illegal to off-roll, but if you're subtle enough and make life unbearable for pupils with SEN or who might require a bit more pastoral support than most then parents will often vote with their feet for obvious reasons.

Usual disclaimer of not all schools etc, but I think many parents are understandably naive about what goes on in some schools.

They're shoes nobody would buy those as trainers. Also practical for kids

@CecilyP They do indeed and there are definitely still boys who do wear them. By year 8 though, a lot of students will have moved away from wanting to wear Clarks.

Sorry for silence. I’ve been out for the day with my daughter. Shoe shopping. Zero success. Just one independent shop in a town a little distance away. The assistant tried their best but nope no joy.

My daughter was ace whilst trying on and I’d explained the reason for the new hunt. However after she was very upset that her fat feet don’t fit in normal shoes and worried she’ll end up in removal. Asking if there was any other schools she could go to.

I calmed her down and reassured her it’ll get sorted.

Well done stupid secondary and your stupid rules.

Sorry to hear she's so stressed out and miserable over something so blooming inconsequential.

Although fear not several posters with their holier than thou attitude have resolved your problem by boldly stating there's lots of shoes and styles she could choose from so I'm sure if you ask them they would obviously be very willing to share their discoveries. 😅

@op what size is she? DD has extraordinarily wide feet, high instep, etc. As I have said up thread, a start-rite G is the same as a Clarke's H. There are options in ladies sizes. The German manufacturers are wider.

I appreciate it sucks. Office have some wide fitting ranges that aren't bad. Somewhere like Ecco might be helpful.

Agree.

I agree they are shoes.

ive read several pages but not the entire thread so forgive me if it’s moved on but as the mum of two autistic children. With sensory issues, one of whom has an incredibly wide foot with high instep and a tendency to pronate can I suggest you try Start Rite or Geox instead.

we found that most Clark’s shoes are just too shallow and don’t provide the support a high instep needs.

My Ds wore Start Rite Mary Janes until year 9 when she found a Geox laced style that fitted.

ballet flat type shoes were banned at her school.

Dd not Ds.

They are shoes.

Surely the point of the 'no trainers' rule is to avoid kids coming in in branded trainers, or trainers in silly flashy colours, or both.

I had to go to school in black doc martins boots though, as my GP and podiatrist found they were the best fit that gave ankle support and fitted the insoles i needed, and met the 'black, tidy, proper sole' requirements school had. (They were not the best, the best was a pair of leather walking boots but they were not available in black, only in brown and with hooks at teh top not eyelets, which school said a flat no way to!)

Still caused endless argument with school about them though, every term some teacher would decide to haul me in about them and id have to supply the note agaiiiiiiiin, spend half a day in isolation because of my disabilities agaiiiiiin... fgs.

No you are wrong, Karen, there are definitely shoes like that that are not trainers. It is called a wedge sole. Clarks did them when I was at school before trainers were even invented! Unless you have a special word for wedge sole shoes that are not trainers?

With those styles you've posted, it looks like the school is not allowing them, but has not considered DC with additional needs or sensory issues. I'd approach them from a reasonable adjustments perspective.

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

^ teaches kids to be micromanaged and submissive.

Not all the girls shoes on that picture are dreadful, there are standard school shoes on there.

No, they’re not all dreadful but why aren’t the dreadful ones (that look more like slippers) crossed out in the way the perfectly sensible shoes OP is proposing to buy are?