It's a school shoe spot the difference thread!

[TheUnstoppableWindmill]

Can you work out which of these shoes is NOT an acceptable school shoe for a policy which states that students must wear black shoes of polishable leather in a non-trainer style?

I've got a year 7 child just starting secondary school. We were encouraged to email the Head of Year to check that shoes are acceptable under the school policy if we had any doubts. Thanks to a helpful Mumsnet thread I sent a handful of pictures in the style that I know if comfortable for my son. I was told these were "all perfect."

The ones I bought have now been rejected. I genuinely can't tell the difference.

So, AIBU to think that if 3 out of 4 of these shoes are perfect, then they should all be acceptable?
And can you guess which ones are too "trainer-like"?!

It would be interesting to see what they said if you sent your DS to do PE in the black shoes you've bought. Whether they'd say those are "not trainers" and "too school shoe-like".
I'd bet money they wouldn't let him do running in them.

I like to think my DCs school changed their uniform after parental complaints. At least I complained, as did others, and shortly after they changed it. We complained on the basis of cost and practicality, and that ultimately due to the cost of unnecessary branded items, it was a discriminatory uniform policy. That did coincide with the government changing policy to make schools consider costs in their uniform policies, so it may not have been our complaints that were the catalyst. They can't have hurt though, and at least the school understood the strength of feeling. Keep complaining, every time there is a survey for parents, complain on those. Encourage your DCs friends parents to complain. It can't hurt, and it might help.

The hush puppies are leather trainers

Urgh I hate these policies and that teachers are wasting valuable time enforcing them.

My ds just started y7 - he was really upset on the first day because his friend got pulled aside at the gate & told his black trainers were unsuitable. They’re the shoes he wore in y6 & knowing that family they won’t have money to buy new shoes when the old ones still fit. Turns out at this school AF1s are fine (ie expensive black trainers), but less expensive ones aren’t ok. It’s nonsensical and a pointless waste of everyone’s time.

I'd actually not buy the replacement shoes for your child until you've exhausted all other options available to you:

1. Getting a letter from your GP saying that your son must wear the pair you currently have
2. Scheduling a meeting with the Head to run through what is and isn't acceptable by way of the uniform (go through it with a fine tooth comb)

You have a third alternative - suggest that your son will wear replacement shoes but, in a cost of living crisis where every penny counts, that as there's nothing wrong (except their warped impression) with the pair he has, only when they wear out/his feet grow, you'll replace them with a more "suitable" shoe.
Also you could point out that it's not ecologically sound to have all of these pairs of "unsuitable" shoes that are unlikely to be worn as they would have been bought to be worn in school.

@Puffalicious thankfully at our school the kids are comfortable! They wear polo shirts, trousers/shorts, skirts or whatever not ties. It’s a primary fgs. But then the teachers are more concerned about the learning than the fashion show!

That's ridiculous. Black, comfortable shoes. Who cares about anything else. Not like he's turning up in nikes! What's the girl policy then? No way would I be replacing the shoes that you bought.

I would remind them that they have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for his disability and that these were as close to the approved shoes as psooble that were comfortable and fitted well and did not cause him sensory issues due to his disability. Contact sendiass as well. send in a copy of his diagnosis letter to school .

Ah, primary is different, I'm secondary. Likewise, my DC's primary is similar- polos/ sweatshirts/ shorts all allowed, bit shirt /tie if you prefer. Much more chilled. Secondary should be the same IMO. My friend in Canada, her kids' secondary they wear polo's & shorts in summer , school hoodie & joggers in winter. V sensible.

sure - it's obviously the last pair.

Thought you might like to see the unacceptable and one of the acceptable shoes side by side. 🤪 I'm glad it's obvious to some people because it's really not to me!

I'm sorry but I wouldn't giving any child of mine shoes with Velcro in year 7. I never did with my son. By now they should be able to do their laces up and you should be buying shoes with laces. They're not at primary school anymore. That's why kids get picked on. That's a red light for bullies.

I guess it's something in the overall shape of the shoe being narrower / more rounded and the sole being flatter (though that difference is less obvious in person). I clearly need a better eye for this stuff.

It's quite common in my son's school to have velcro so that in itself hasn't been an issue.

@ednakenneth I’m 34 and wear velcro trainers 😂

Absolutely baffled by this! Also that you need a doctors note to have different footwear, that you have to bloody check before you buy them and that children have to go in isolation for wearing the wrong shoes. I realise schools need a uniform policy, but it just seems to get more and more ridiculous. They need to sort out their priorities!

The last pair are more like trainers .

My DD's last school required Oxford brogues in black (at least they were specific) or girls could wear loafers as long as no tassels. Was a specialist school so additional needs not an issue.

Just had a message saying that they will give him a uniform pass for the shoes due to his ASD sensory issues without requiring any further evidence so ok outcome in the end. Though still bonkers for anyone who doesn't have that reason, I think. They also confirmed it's because the soles are flatter. Every day's a school day (pardon the pun)!

My big bugbear and pet hate is schools not allowing Velcro. Disabled kids need to wear Velcro and stand out and feel different. Plus, below year 9 I think Velcro is the better choice

Uniform rules (or rather their enforcement) can be so frustratingly arbitrary! Those shoes all look very similar to me, too, OP. It's not as though one of them is flashy or has eye-catching branding.

Who cares how flat the soles are, so long as they're comfortable for the child and aren't something silly, like platforms or high heels?

I'm glad for you and your son that they've said he's allowed to wear what he has. It's ridiculous that there would even be a question, though.

I would have said the hush puppies, i bought them for my son as he’s just started primary school and I thought they’d be a good transition as they seem more comfortable and less rigid, like trainers

Our school won’t allow Velcro, designer shoes, Logos, adornments, boots, or dolly shoes.
My LG has gone with the Pods in the 1st picture. 2nd picture is the boots she would have preferred to have worn as they support her weak ankles.
I do not see anything wrong with the shoes in any of your pictures but 3 pairs look like trainer style to me as the soles are flat like adidas type trainers.

As your son is on the spectrum. They can allow for those shoes to be accepted. Or it will be indirect discrimination to apply a blanket rule and disability discrimination. Just push that point with them.

They all look the same and none of them look like a trainer!

I'm late to the thread, but I haven't read it, so I'll say the one called "Engineer" is trainer-like.