Just read the bloody uniform policy!!!

[flingoringo]

I've just read an article about a school in Gateshead where lots of kids were sent home or out in isolation on day one of term because they were wearing the wrong shoes. The offending shoes seem to be mainly a Vivienne Westwood ballet flat (with a big silver VW emblem on the front) and a Nike walking boots. Lots of kids wearing the same, from yr7 to yr11.
Parents are up in arms, obviously. One mentions the CoL crisis so the need to scrimp and save to spend A HUNDRED QUID on the Nike shoes. One mum said her yr7 daughter won't be going back she's finding her a new school.

The school (taken over by an academy in 2019) says the policy is clear, plain black shoes with no logos. That they have done their best to help yr6 parents understand what was to be expected once on yr7.

Now I don't necessarily agree with schools being overly strict with uniform policy. But I do accept that I have to agree to follow the rules at the schools that I chose to send my kids to and if we chose not to then of course they'll be consequences.

AIBU to think it's it's completely ridiculous that this happens every bloody year?!

There would be a lot of respect for schools if they would sometimes row back on rules which aren't serving the purpose of keeping children safe or improving their education, rather than maintaining their entrenched position without justification.

In many ways this sounds like a sensible compromise.

But the flip side is that we would then be telling our children they must all spend their school days wearing virtually the same as every other child in the country, and what they are wearing is mostly a depressing range of grey and black, or maybe navy blue if we're lucky. All around the country every child would look alike and be like regiments of camp inmates. It would seem like sending them all off for compulsory conscription.

Easily dealt with - have some overshoes on hand for those lessons, in the same way as they keep goggles.

What sort of overshoes had you in mind? And why should the school provide them?

My daughter has exceptionally narrow and quite flat feet plus very slim ankles, and finding "regulation" shoes to fit her was extremely difficult, even at Clark's where a few styles are available in an E fitting (really she was more like a D).

Black leather Converse come up slim and can be tied tightly more tightly than many styles across the top of the foot - these worked well for her to begin with but then they were banned along with all other trainer-type shoes and we had a complete nightmare trying to find an alternative which would stay on.

What made me mad was after all that, the school then didn't really enforce their "strict" new uniform regulations so everyone else was in the kind of shoes which would have worked so much better for my daughter while I'd spent over £100 on posh continental shoes and custom insoles which she didn't even like.

I really think schools should aspire to rather more than having pupils who make it to the end of a lesson without passing out.

Why should your poor mother have had to save up to buy hideous shoes, pointless ties and blazers, and stupid hats and knickers? "Because those were the rules" is hardly an adequate answer. Once upon a time people were hanged for stealing because those were the rules, women weren't allowed to vote because those were the rules. No-one thinks that "the rules" an adequate justification for such practices.

Why should the school provide goggles? If they are undertaking a potentially dangerous activity, it's up to them to manage the safety aspects.

Yes and they do this by specifying in their uniform policy that children must wear shoes which have a covered top.

I'm still interested to know what sort of overshoes you think the school should be providing that would make a ballet flat safe. Putees?

some are just not that bright, believe me, loads get reported snd tracked down.

They may not have spent 100 on them there are plenty of cheap fakes out there for sale, samenwith the nikes most likely. I'm a bit at odds both ways with this. Some parents do seem intent on not following the rules and then declaring they have done nothing wrong. On the other hand the rules secondary schools have on uniforms and using the bathroom seem ridiculous to me. It really seems.like power play and I can't see how it prepares anyone for the workplace.

On that basis, they should insist on every pupil wearing goggles all the time. Because it makes sense to insist on pupils wearing the relevant safety wear full time for lessons that only take up a small proportion of the school week, doesn't it?

People working in industry who need safety wear on their feet aren't made to come into work wearing it, or to continue wearing it when they're not working in potentially dangerous areas. If you want to know about safety overshoes, google is your friend.

Aw come on @ZadocPDederick link me to the overshoes you have in mind .

And your suggestion that the sort of parents who are Daily Mail sadfacing about Buttercup not being allowed to wear her designer shoes to school would be happy to provide a second pair for science/tech is laughable.

Makes me laugh when I see people posting questions on Facebook groups asking about uniform policy for a certain school, just check with the bloody school and if you aren't going to adhere to the policy why bother asking.

@Missingpop Yes, there are entitled parents who might want to take their kids out of a school which doesn't let them wear clothes or shoes with flashy logos.

But there are also parents, like me, who don't mind reasonable rules but who would take their kids out of a school which enforces silly rules draconiananly and with totally unreasonable punishments. Send the kid home if she's not wearing the right shoes. But giving her small shoes which then give her blisters? The whole day in detention? * that, that is totally unreasonable, unwarranted and counter-productive. If you disagree, I'd love to hear why.

It is fine to have rules, but it is always a red flag when a school spends so much time inspecting the details of each uniform daily. And dental retainers? Why on earth would they be banned?????

You must live in a utopian paradise. I have had both situations non uniform school children divide into groups, constant arguments about what is suitable for school some children turning up in new clothes every week its a head wreaker. Your children sound extremely mature and incredibly sensible amazeballa

I didn't say those rules where right I said we survived. I went to a school in a wealthy part of North London it was very mixed competing with girls whose parents could afford endless outfit changes would have been much more damaging to the soul. Going to their parties was stressful enough, thank god for vintage shops! Much easier to put on a uniform no need to think or plan. Plus you could always roll your skirt up wear an oversize jumper or change up yr tie knot as soon as you left the school grounds.

Completely agree.
Entitled Parenting....the rules are just for the masses surely not for their little darlings.

Seriously I feel sorry for the kids as they've been singled out due to naff parenting skills...
Either they

1. Can't say no or
2. Want their kids to feel 'better' than others

1. Is sad 2. is worse.

Another thread where the word 'entitled' appears to be grossly mis/overused.

Personally I think children are entitled' to sensible rules, made for justifiable reasons relating to safety/attainment. Not rules controlling all aspects of their appearance, based on the personal preference of a particular head teacher!

Completely agree.
Entitled Parenting....the rules are just for the masses surely not for their little darlings.

If the word "entitled" had been so much in vogue 120 years ago, you can bet that spluttering men would have been writing to the papers moaning about entitled women protesting against the rules against universal suffrage and saying that for them "the rules are just for the masses surely not for their little darling selves and their little darling friends."

No child thinks and plans about what they will wear at school. In practice at schools without uniform rules, they wander in wearing jeans and hoodies or T shirts.

When a parent chooses a school they are entering into a contract and thereby agree to abide by the rules. School uniforms are a form of protection. They prevent poorer kids being picked on for not wearing the designer shoes, skirts etc. its an excellent way to anonomise wealth and poverty. If you dont accept the uniform policy im sure you could choose another school. The mother who was complaining about her daughters VW shoes said her daughter had worn the shoes for 2 years at her primary school without a problem. A. I doubt if any child at 9 years of age can fit in the same shoes at 11 and B. The secondary school clearly has a different uniform policy to the primary school. Isnt education the most important priority? It was for me with my kids.

Totally agree with this! Sensible rules I totally support the school with, rules that seem to be stuck to just because...no. Its been upwards of 27 degrees this week here and no relaxation of uniform apart from pupils can 'carry blazers ' instead of wearing them. Head teacher finally sent a message out yesterday to say they can leave them at home... Her message was truly so passive aggressive and referred to parents 'negativity' regarding uniform wearing in the heat, I was gobsmacked. No common sense shown, just dogged determination to not back down despite the sweltering heat. I normally tell my dds to get on with it but have really sympathised with them the last few days!

Sorry that was in response to Ladybirds post!