or is the school?

[claw3]

Just had a phone call from school to say that the Head has decided to clamp down on 'incorrect' school uniform and that my ds 13 is with her in the office and they want to send him home to change his shoes.

He is wearing all black plimsoll type shoes, which up until this point have been allowed in school.

I explained that these are the only school shoes he has at the moment and that i cannot afford to buy him any different shoes until the 13th January, but would do so then.

She has told me she has been advised by the Head that he will have to stay home until the 13th.

I have told her that is ridiculous and is not acceptable to me. She is going to get back to me.

£35 for plimmies! I am so not cool...

Christonabike! It's Sanctimoniousity-on-Sea in here today, isn't it?

I can only assume that most of those, perched on the Moral High Ground, handing down scornful pronouncements are yet to have teenagers.

Minty - PriceLess shoes have men's brogues for £9.99. Whether the OP's son would be seen dead in them is another issue entirely!

There is no way a student should be excluded from school because his mother can't afford to buy him shoes, even if she should have budgeted differently.

Those shoes were fine last term, they'll do until the 13th.

I can't get my head around a school that would prefer a child/teenager miss a week of school than get a pass on having the wrong shoes for a bit.

I have two actually, Pike, and one 12 yr old. The 16 yr old wears black lace ups to school, the two girls (14 and 12) both have Rhinos. It is helped by the fact that their schools are very strict about uniform and actively enforce it. So the school is actually helping you by abiding by its stated uniform requirements and enforcing them. That's one battle less for the parents to fight.

Well I haven't commented previously and I agree that making him stay at home is silly. Letting him go to school but giving him a detention each afternoon would work.

BUT I have a teenager and a nearly-teen and no way would I let them go to school in plimpsolls.

I agree that very clear uniform policies can make life easier. But I see no sign of one in this case!

My ds always wore converse or Vans to school ..the school is BVU..but then I hate all school uniform anyway.. sorry but can'timagine my Ds ever wearing a pair of startrites

that's a really helpful comment FLF. She already has the converse. Think it is finding extra funds right now which is the prob. OP is not saying she will not get alternatives, just that she cannot for a fortnight. I'd be in a similar boat tbh, after christmas everyone's disposal cash is compromised!

I have opposite prob - I sent ds in his black steel toe capped chelsea boots because of the snow and he got told off yesterday as they boots, not shoes....

as for getting some off a friend, I presume some of you don't have teenage boys to know there is nowt worth handing down to anyone bar a scarecrow by the end of autumn term.

Personally I like school uniform because it makes the students be a little more creative in how they express themselves and assert their individuality. They have to think beyond their appearance.

Just a thought, but are you sure the school haven't given notification of this and you just haven't seen it? (i.e. crumpled at bottom of a bag)

But could be new term/new broom syndrome. Given you have given them a totally reasonable time frame in which you will replace the shoes the school is BU

'i dont see whats wrong with wearing plimpsolls to school'

It's January
There's 8 inches of snow
It is -2 degrees

Got to say that the ridiculous grief we went through over school shoes is still fresh despite the years that have elapsed since ds2 left his secondary school. Only ds2 had/has very wide size 12 to 13 feet. Buying his school shoes was an absolute nightmare because even if he'd been prepared to wear the cheap shit shoes, they simply didn't fit since economy of price came with skimpiness of materials - and probably still does.

His Year 11 Head was obsessed with his feet and constantly threatened to have him excluded if he wouldn't wear her version of correct shoes. In the end we had to take the matter up with the Head since far more attention was being paid to alleged breaches of uniform than it was to his forthcoming GCSEs.

It has left me even more cynical about the so-called benefits of school uniform! Things seem to have got worse with the introduction of fake "posh skools".

surely if the uniform policy is "black shoes" then it comes down to how you define (or the policy defines) "shoe". Personally I'd define any footwear that doesn't go above the ankle as a shoe - I count trainers and plimsoles as "shoes" personally and unless the policy specifically excludes trainers or plimsoles I don't see what the fuss is about.

I wore uniform and they were pretty draconian about it but even my school wouldn't have sent you home for wearing plain black plimsoles only if they had ostentatious markings on them.

Odd thing to take a stand on.

FLF my ds seemed to spend a lot of time dyeing and styling his hair ..of course its all about appearance

My dd wouldn't be seen in anything but black converse and will not wear a coat. (Thanks so whichever mumsnetter warned me of this and told me not to bother buying one this year) They wear several pairs of socks and thermal vests to cope with the cold.

Our school sent a letter home by post to all parents a fortnight before the last uniform clamp down. I think that is standard policy these days for important school information and reports, far more reliable than expecting teenage lads to pass stuff on!

LOL this thread is turning into a 'would you send your kid to school in plimsolls' thread.

Yes im a plimsoll sender of a mum hangs head in shame

Its his choice, he is 13 years old for crying out loud. I also dont tuck his vest into his pants or wipe his nose for him anymore and if he chooses not to wear a coat and gets cold, tough!

My only mistake has been assuming that these 'shoes' were acceptable to the school, because literally all the boys have been wearing them.

CLAW3 -So who buys his £35 plimolls-you or him ?

Sorry, but couldn't resist a little chortle at TheWorldFamousKewcumber's last line!

"plain black plimsoles....Odd thing to take a stand on"

As you were.

"It's January
There's 8 inches of snow
It is -2 degrees"

and?????????? you been to town on a Friday night (or any night) recently - seen girls (well grown women many of them LOL) out in short skirts, low cut tops, no leggings/jeggings/tights on their legs, nothing to throw over their shoulders between pubs.

Having a strict uniform policy doesn't make life easier for the parents - especialy if the parents do have money to spend on more expensive school shoes.

DS1 is only 9, so not a teen yet, but "none" of the (admittedly all cheap) lace up shoes he tried on in September were comfortable (apparently ), so he got his velcro ones.......

I taught at a school in Zimbabwe that had extremely strict uniform policy, but even their brown (was brown shoes in their uniform) plimsols were acceptable.

Pikelet I have a teenager 14 and "a good as teenager" 12.

14 year old ds wouldn't be seen dead in Vans or Converses outside school let alone in school.

12yr DD adores converse high tops and covets the real thing but accepts they are not on for school.

Agree with you totally FLF [grin} never understand all these children whose only personality is through their clothes.

actually what seems to be the fashion is not exactly converse plimsolls, they are even more flimsy with no rubber on the toe.

I have to say if you can afford plimsolls at £35, you can buy a decent pair of school shoes! They can cost a lot less! Sounds like you need to get your priorities right - Christmas or school shoes - I know which I would go for. I think the school are absolutely right and am only surprised it has taken until now. What I would say is it does not seem fair for the school to punish your son because of his parents lack of judgement.