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Original poster

Since when have open toed sandals been a H&S issue?

84 replies

DumbledoresGirl · 12/06/2006 16:18

I went everywhere on Saturday to buy my dd some open toed sandals as her shoes are too small and, espceially in this hot weather, I wanted her to have some cooling footwear. I suppose the lack of many school type sandals should have told me something, but I merely assumed everyone else had beaten me to it.

Then today, dd, who is normally so bubbly and full of life, came out of school looking dejected. Apparently school friends have been horrid and shouting at her today as she was wearing the "wrong" shoe.

A talk with the teacher revealed that open toed sandals are banned as a H&S issue - apparently, toes might get trodden on! With all the diplomacy and maturity that I do not possess, I told the teacher I thought that was nonsense. I still do. She said that it was pretty much a universal rule in schools these days. Well, all I can say is, it wasn't when I was a teacher.

Since getting home I have looked up the school prospectus, and, in fairness to them, it does say no open toed or open heeled shoes to be worn (dd's are both!) but can I really be expected to remember that when I read the prospectus 16 months ago?

Anyway, I have told the teacher that dd will be wearing the offending articles for the remainder of term as I can't take them back to the shop now and I can't afford to buy her another pair of shoes.

What does everyone else think about the banning of open toed sandals? How many people who grew up like me in the 70s remember toes being crushed in the playground as a result of open toed sandals being worn? Isn't it a health issue to allow feel to breathe as much as possible in this hot weather? I couldn't help but notice that the teacher I spoke to was herself wearing open toed sandals, a was I and every other woman I saw in the playground!

OP posts:
Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 12/06/2006 16:54

\link{http://www.startriteshoes.com/footwear/girls/open_sandals/peacock.php\These are the offending sandals}

I don't even like them but they were dd's choice and they seemed sensible enough to me.

I hasten to add that I would not have bought her open toed sandals, even though I think they are more appropriate for summer, if I had known of the school rule. I am not a rule breaker for the sheer hell of it!

OP posts:
Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 12/06/2006 16:56

Oh and I am not new to schools. Dd has 2 older brothers and both of them definitely wore open toed sandals when they were in Reception and Year 1. (different school though)

OP posts:
Cod · 12/06/2006 17:01

mine wear sports sandals no socks

geekgrrl · 12/06/2006 17:02

gosh, I've never thought about this. The dds can wear whatever footwear they like for school, including open-toes sandals.

Whizzz · 12/06/2006 17:12

Had a check with DSs school & it doesn't mention anything - just black shoes for girls & boys - I am sure I have seen sandles worn.

sunnydelight · 12/06/2006 18:02

Being a good mummy I spent ages trying to find suitable sandals for DS2 to wear to school (in the end had to order them) only to find that everyone else is ignoring the rule and he could have worn the perfectly good open toe sandals that still fit him from last summer hols - AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

GDG · 12/06/2006 18:07

Must admit, mine have closed toe sandals - teh brown leather ones from Clarks (not for school though - ds1 wears winter black shoes) - I think when they are young and a bit clumsy it is easy to fall over in open toe ones. I can remember the sole of the shoe under the toes getting caught on the poles of climbing frames and also folding under the sole iyswim. I think the closed toe ones are safer but not sure if they do them for girls??

Generally I think the world has gone a bit mad on H&S but agree open toe sandals could be a bit of a nightmare in school.

hulababy · 12/06/2006 18:12

Got DD's uniform list for next year and hers also says no open toed sandles. Closed toe are fine.

I am not allowed to wear open toes to work either, because of H&S.

julienetmum · 12/06/2006 23:18

Sorry but I don't think the sandals that you linked to are suitable for school. They are not sturdy enough.

Dd is allowed to sandals to nursery as long as they are a full style as young feet need the support and need sturdy shoes to take part in all the activities.

Her uniform list for next year (reception) states that girls can wear sensible black sandals. That seems a little ambiguous to me (which is surprising as everything else is very very specific with regards to uniform.

alexsmum · 12/06/2006 23:27

i think the navy sandals you linked to were eminently sensible for school-entirely appropriate.I will be sending ds to school in his navy blue open sandals and i will be very cross if anyhting is said.

handlemecarefully · 12/06/2006 23:31

I think it's fecking barmy!

handlemecarefully · 12/06/2006 23:32

I might send dd to her reception class in September in jelly shoes just to be awkward Wink

cat64 · 12/06/2006 23:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

handlemecarefully · 12/06/2006 23:42

tripping up doesn't bother me - should it?

Piffle · 12/06/2006 23:49

Since my son decapitated his big toe holding open a door for a teacher in 2001...
Blood everywhere
Got a msg from teh scholl, saying your son has hurt his foot badly pls hurry to school, got there through the door and followed the blood trail.
GRuesome
One seriously lacerated and broken toe
Open toes sandals never again in our house.

handlemecarefully · 12/06/2006 23:50

That sounds horrible........

But - as real and dreadful as that was Piff, isn't that a freak / very unusual accident?

Piffle · 12/06/2006 23:57

Too right Grin
NEVER hold the door open for teachers, he should have known better!!!!!!!
YEs freak accident but enough for me to ensure toes are covered in future he was 7 at the time so not young young either.

serenity · 13/06/2006 00:25

DSs aren't allowed open toes sandals either, but tbh they play alot of football, so it wouldn't have been a sensible choice anyway - for the same reason, I still send them in in long trousers. I have to say that I can't wear sandals to work either, so it's never struck me as odd that they can't!

grumpyfrumpy · 13/06/2006 07:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
DumbledoresGirl · 13/06/2006 09:57

Thanks to all those who have posted in agreement with me. I didn't expect so many of you to agree I admit! I am happy to read comments from people on the other side of the fence too!

I still can't get over this tbh. I can see that tripping up could be a problem, but I agree with handlemecarefully, is that really a problem? My children come home every day of the week with bruises and cuts. At this school alone ds1 has broken his nose and ds2 has split his chin open during a swimming lesson. When these accidents occurred, I thought nothing more than that this was part of childhood. It wouldn't occur to me to sue the school for negligence. If dd stubs her toe, well, it won't bother me. Surely it is far more important that her feet are able to breathe in this hot weather?

Interesting point about why everyone else knew not to wer sandals and dd didn't. I wondered about that too. I can only suggest that we moved to the school a year ago and so as latecomers so to speak, maybe we missed the rules being laid down at the new parents meeting.

OP posts:
Bramshott · 13/06/2006 10:36

The sandals look lovely, and I bet your DD looks lovely in them! Only 6 weeks till the holidays . . .

Emma7 · 13/06/2006 10:38

I agree that this is going to far and we don't have this rule at my school but I can see where it's coming from.
It is the no win no fee companies who are to blame as schools are having more and more parents trying to sue them for injuries which happen at school. In serious cases I am sure that this is justified but health and saftey policies and risk assessments have to be so tight these days - it is ridiculous in my opinion and is severely limiting the experiences which children are given in schools who take this to the extreme.

PrettyCandles · 13/06/2006 10:42

I think it's a load of nonsense. I would accept no open-toed sandals in say the chemistry lab, a cooking, woodwork or sport class - but these hardly apply in primary school. I've been sending ds to school in sandals and he has had one or two children tell him off, but I've told him it's not the children's place to tell him off, and unless his teacher tells me that he mustn't wear sandals then he can go to school in sandals. I do insist on socks at school (partly it seems bad manners not to wear socks, but mostly to give toes some protection from grazes), but he wears them without socks at other times.

As for the safety issue - have they banned shorts yet? Whenever either of mine switch from long trousers to shorts their legs get covered in bruises, scratches and grazes. Dd turned up to nursery this morning with two huge bleeding grazes on her knees - and she was under my care when she fell over. Surely H&S implications of shorts are just as serious as for sandals?

dressedupnowheretogo · 13/06/2006 10:42

as a hairdresser we are not supposed to wear them due to hair going into feet or maybe cutting our toes off if we drop our scissors but i did have to sighn a waiver wear i used to work so i could wear open toed sandals

foxinsocks · 13/06/2006 10:42

eeww piffle what an awful story!