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.

I agree that the school should have a uniform policy that clearly states what is allowed and what isn't.
I still think you are bonkers to let a kid of 13 talk you into spending your money on unsuitable over-priced tat , instead of a decent pair of shoes. We'll have to agree to disagree there I think.

Madame, over-priced tat has always been the fashion for teenagers, im sure that is what makes it fashionable.

Quality and comfort come with age. Both you and i are starting to sound like my mum i can remember her saying something similar to me about over-priced tat. I bet you wear 'big' knickers like me too in the cold weather!

but if they're proper Converse he's got they're not taf - I crave Converse shoes (I have about 16 different designs that I have my eye on ) - and I'm nearly 31

I'm 27, awassailing, and practically wear nothing but Converse, or Chucks as we call 'em. I've got a lovely pair of gray ones that were designed to be worn w/o laces, so it saves me time in the morning.

This does seem an odd thing for the school to fixate on, I agree. It's not as if he wore neon pink stilettos or something. Black shoes is black shoes in my 'umble hopinion!

Awassailing, Take that silly santa hat off your smiley and stop being so cheerful and grow up!

Stewiemum, very sensible hands a pair of 'big' winter knickers

pmsl at the very idea of getting a teen to wear something thay don't like.

Is the phrase 'shoes - all black' in the uniform policy a heading or part of a longer phrase? Or could 'shoes' be construed as 'footwear'?

YANBU no matter what, especially if this is a randomly applied 'policy' that just seems to apply in your DC's year and out of the blue, and especially right after Christmas when everyone is skint AND in light of the weather and how hard it might be (don't know if you have snow, ice, etc.) to get out and buy some.

no I won't - it's not time for the decorations to come down (quite)

Got the info 'shoes - all black' off of their website under the heading uniform requirements where it lists boys and girls uniform.

It also lists trousers as mid grey - lots of boys and girls wear light, dark grey and black trousers.

Pull over as mid grey - lots of boys and girls wear all different coloured jumpers.

They are obviously not very strict on uniform, so it does seem a bit odd that they have chosen to clamp down on 'all black shoes' when there are far more obvious blatant disregards for school uniform going on.

Still rules are rules and im happy to accept this, im just not running to the shop the minute i get a phone call, when money is very tight after Christmas.

LOL Claw3 I am beginning to sound like my mother - well my grandmother actually who lived in fear of chills on any part of the body ,cold feet causing head colds , setting foot outside the house with even the mildest of fever would lead to certain pneumonia and other such perils !
In a way I am quite lucky that my boys go to a school where the uniform is very defined and supported by all the parents so they don't get a lot of peer pressure as far as clothes are concerned.
They don't like wearing coats for school.they have got those big down-filled GAP jackets-really warm.They whine 'no-one wears coats mum'.But when it has been really cold I have insisted as they have quite a long journey on a temeperamental bus which seems to break down or get stuck every other week and it would be dangerous to be stranded in sub-zero temperatures without a coat.Of course when i saw the other kids walking to the bus stop they were all sent bundled up like michelin men too.

Madame - I can remember my mum insisting that i wear the coat she had got me, an alternative to the over priced tat i wanted as 'it wouldnt keep me warm'! (i wanted a Burberry mac, she got me an anorak

I wore it as i walked out the door, only to be stuffed in my school bag for the rest of the day and put back on as i walked through the door.

Im scarred for life!

Well, I would construe 'shoes' as footwear from what you say. They haven't specified that 'shoes' means any particular sort of foot covering and seem to be using it quite loosely, if they've referred to the uniform policy at all. I think the H of Y got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

Also just read that only black coats are allowed, no make up and no jewelery, not even earrings are allowed.

All the girls wear make up and pink coats and the whole school have earrings, even the boys! (mine dont, its gay apparently)

Blimey this cant be the same school that my kids go to, perhaps the lady who phoned me today had the wrong number!

Claw3 Yeah well they might well do that , but at least they do have a coat with them if the worst comes to the worst.

How strange that your DS was apparently the only one sitting in the office getting threatened with exclusion -- or was half the school there with him. Bizarre behaviour by the H of Y...

Madame, we have started down the 'better safe, than sorry' road, a sure sign we are ancient! These words do not enter your vocabulary until you are 30+.

I just tried pulling up my tights and realised i wasnt wearing any, it was my skin

Im off, thanks for the advice everyone.

YABU; don't you realise that children are unable to learn unless they are wearing black leather lace up shoes?

I am a teacher, and this really winds me up- I used to have to tell children off/send children home who had made an unimaginable effort to even get to school. It's fucking ridiculous IMO.

Tethersend -I would have thought that having cold wet feet would negatively impact on their ability to learn actually ?

Tethersend -I would have thought that having cold wet feet would negatively impact on their ability to concentrate and learn actually (apart from learning that canvas shoes are no good in snow )

can you get a hold of a pair of outsize clown shoes in black in time for the 13th?

"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."

You're right Mollyroger, my son's castoffs aren't good enough for the scrapbank.
I keep outgrown items in my class so when a child arrives without a coat they get to wear one during playtime and lunchtimes. And look like scarecrows.
Otherwise I have to waste my time supervising them if it's a bit damp outside. Yes, parents who send their child to school in winter without a coat will still complain if they are sent outside without one.

Madame, they only get wet feet if it rains and unless you put your kid in wellies when it rains, i assume their feet still get wet wearing shoes?

Same as being cold really, they have central heating in schools, so feet soon warm up. I get cold feet no matter what i wear on them.

Hambler, i was thinking perhaps a pair of shoe boxes tied to his feet?

Caused a bit of teasing last night between my 13 year old ds and his 16 year old brother. Brother is still allowed to wear his plimsoll, so i threatened him with boxes.