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.

Regardless of whether they are shoes or trainers, your Clark shoes look exactly like those that the school have said aren't suitable.

The issue is that school want children to wear formal shoes. I find that my son has ripped the sole off two pairs of formal shoes within not much more than a week each, as they all play football on the field after lunch!

I think they are a bit of a school shoe/ trainer hybrid- probably designed precisely to be "shoe" enough for school rules, but "trainer" enough for kids to like.
Personally I'd say it verges just on the shoe side- it's the 3 velcro straps that make it look casual/ sporty. But if school are insisting on something smarter, then I think you have to accept their decision.

I feel like Amazon is your friend here. Get a whole bunch delivered and send back what you don’t need. If money is an issue they do a try on free where you don’t pay for seven days which gives you time to return. I have long given up on shoe shops and shop online with the brands that fit my child’s feet. Ricosta, geox, Ecco all do wide fit. I’d check out art company Antibes for a sturdy Mary Jane type shoe which is supportive and well made. Also leather.

Well I for one would not want to run more than about 100 metres in those because they don't look as if they'd have the right cushioning and support, so to me they're not trainers. The Clarks site also specifically describes them as school shoes.

However, I don't think you're going to get far with this particular school by arguing that they're not trainers when the school is obviously applying its own criteria that say they are. What I would do instead is come at it from the SEN angle - that they should be making reasonable adjustments for your child's needs. If they had a child who could only wear specialist boots because of a physical disability, I doubt if they would be vetoing those. This is a similar situation but with a different exact issue. Is there a doctor, psychologist or other professional involved who could write a letter explaining why your child should be allowed to use these perfectly normal shoes? This is clearly a barrier to learning, as no-one can concentrate properly in shoes that are causing them distress.

They are shoes. My DS has worn those to two super uniform strict schools without a word being said.

New shoes have been bought as she needs next size up. Same style.

We had a good go at trying others but guess what they didn’t fit. At this point I’m not trawling the internet for other brands etc. I know our feet. They are shit for shoes. Actually an “I” fitting on the measure.

My girl needs to be comfy. I’ve already got the issue of skirts with fixed waist bands and shirts and blazers to deal with.

I have decided I don’t care what the school think. They will get a letter. It will be sufficient.

I also spoke to the local shoe retailer who had asked all the secondary schools for their policies. In preparation for school shoe season they like to be informed, and was surprised how restrictive or secondary has made it. They agreed that there would be no other style that would work within that policy for my daughter.

Apparently they also fed this back to the school that there will be a lot of children for whom that policy won’t work and were told the parents need to get a medical letter. What an absolute waste of NHS time for a school that want the kids to look a certain way.

I can actually see mornings being a huge source of stress with the uniform in Sept. She’s is going to hate all the rigid uniforms and is gonna struggle. Tears, anxiety and the inevitable sickness that it’ll bring. I’m fully expecting to be taking time off to get her into school each morning- boss will be delighted as I take enough flexibility from them due to all the medical appointments.

Tbh it sounds to me like you’re trying to create issues before they’ve happened. Your DD will be attending a large mainstream secondary so there will be rules she will have to follow.

Of course exceptions can and will be made for medical reasons but these will need to be properly evidenced by a medical professional. You are not going to get anywhere by starting personal crusades talking about challenging power structures.

I suspect the staff at the new school are already dreading you arriving as a parent and if you’re not careful, you and your DD will find yourself managed out if you don’t work with the school rather than against it.

Oh and it’s a small mainstream secondary. Staff don’t need to dread my arrival. They already have my presence due to their incompetence. Hopefully they’ll be keen to avoid further need for meetings.

@YoucancallmeKAREN out of interest, with your qualification that a shoe has a separate heel - how come several of the ballet flat styles here don't have a heel but are considered a shoe?

Why are you still so keen on schools that manage children out when it's been pointed out that that is an illegal practice? What sort of example do you think those schools set?

OP has said that she can produce letters from three medical professionals, so why would staff dread dealing with her?

I must say, we need to start doing conducted tours for headteachers around a selection of offices so that they can see what people actually wear and that the reality is that people don't wear their 50 years out-of-date notion of office footwear. Speaking as someone working in a professional office, my criterion for shoes is 100% that they must be comfortable above all else.

Exactly re looking at what people actually wear in an office. Several people in my office (me included) have standing desks, so almost none of the girls shoes would supportive enough.

My thoughts exactly. Far more supportive and practical than those too.

They are school shoes for a primary age child but for a secondary age child they look quite like trainers.

Teenagers don't usually have velcro shoes in a smart context.

I feel for you OP. My son is to start secondary in sept and they did allow trainers but have now changed it to say they won't. I have to go to the meeting and ask about this now, as son is an extra wide H fitting and they all have a slight trainer look, but that is all I can see to find in his fitting.

I guess the heal makes them look to "comfy" to be shoes coupled with no laces.
But they are Shoes. And becuase children are active in the pkayground etc walking loads these fit the bill perfectly.

Schools really suck these days. 90's and early 2000's were the best

I had this problem with one of my sons nearly 30 years ago. His feet were so wide I couldn't find any shoes to fit him and eventually had a pair made for him. The business were great and they made them so that they could be redone (somehow I didn't figure out what they did) so they lasted him for two shoe sizes. We didn't have to pay VAT and with the cheap cost of the remake to stretch them a size they didn't work out too much more than two pairs of Clarks shoes. Fortunately he had a bit of a growth spurt after that and his feet seemed to get longer not wider and we managed to get H fitting shoes on him.

It is a nightmare if standard fittings don't work for your child.

These are perfectly acceptable footwear for school. Anyone that can't see that needs to have a bit of self-reflection time.
They are supportive & plain. What is the problem with them?

Plenty of teens have fine motor control issues, Dyspraxia, ASC, any number of things that could make tying laces an onerous task. How is it going to affect a child's education or a school's ability to deliver one if they have Velcro instead of laces. Just think about that for a second. Can you really justify your idea that this matters?

Your school is ridiculous. Shoes should support growing feet and also be suitable for active travel and protect the wearer from U.K. weather outdoors.

In your circumstances I think think solution would be sensible shoes to walk to school and change into stupid little pumps for indoors. It’s what women do in offices with stupid dress codes.

Im so glad our local school priorities are straight - shoes should support active learning and active travel first, and then also be black. Our children do not need to look “formal”.

What EXACTLY is the problem with them?
Schools want kids in certain clothes that are uncomfortable and wonder why kids act out.
It's seems to be all about the "look" and not if they will be suitable for growing feet which should be the main concern with children.