Boys school shoes with flashing lights!

[Nonky]

Hello my son is desperate for school shoes with flashing lights. Normally I would say no and get him some that without as they would probably be cheaper but it is his first year at school and I'm trying to make it as positive experience as I can (for us all!). I find clarkes shoes poor quality and can't seem to find any flashing shoes by other brands. Does anyone have any links to some please? Many thanks!

That sound very strong CouthyMow I've seen kids wearing shoes with flashing lights or 10 years now and I've never heard of a school banning them!

Wow I never expected such a varied response! I will stick by my original comment that I have been teaching in various schools for over 10 years and have never heard of them being banned. I am a primary teacher and my philosophy has always been that if the children enjoy school, are respected by their teacher and feel happy and safe in their environment then the learning will follow automatically. Removing children's footwear at school will cause nothing more than embarrassment and humiliation to a child, therefore, that child's learning is already at a disadvantage . No, I am not saying that flashing lights make a child a better learner, what I am saying is that If my son starts school happy and confident and I have done everything I can to do this, then he is already in a better frame of mind to learn and be educated.

Are all these strict rules (over things that are, let's face it, pretty irrelevant) really achieving anything? Our children will face enough of these rules as they get older. I think time spent on encouraging individuality, respect and tolerance would be a much better way to spend the time.

Anyway, I have now sent back the sensible
chunky uncomfortable 'buckle my shoe' shoes I originally bought my son and have since purchased him comfy black shoes from clarks with FLASHING green lights. The look on his face was priceless and he is now looking forward to the first day of FUN at his new school

Well said nonky.x

I didn't say I agreed with the school's frankly pointless rules - I was just stating what they actually WERE. I think it's a load of guff, and can't see what harm flashy lights in school shoes can do, but those are the rules at our school. Along with no cut patterns in hair, and what seems like about 300 others all preventing children from having their own identity at all.

It's the ones with toys in the heels that drive me mad

Ours can wear flashing lighted shoes but they're told (or rather the parents are) to remove the ridiculous shoe toys and leave at home. Causes no end of arguments apparently. I've point blank refused to buy the toy shoes - stupid idea.

Banned at our school.

I've been working on the basis that if the clothes come from the 'back to school' section of a mainstream shop then the school really can't complain.

Therefore DD has sparkly bits on the zips of her pinafores, pretty daisy buttons on the pockets, scalloped collars on the white polos and a pair of Clarks black school shoes that happen to have 5 diamante on the top and red flashing lights on the heels.

If a school wants to complain about a 3 year-old wearing them, then I will happily look for another school - and I am very pro-uniform.

If schools are THAT worried then they should supply all the uniform themselves via the school - or complain to manufacturers.

I really don't want to upset anyone but might it not be good for girls to have at least one space in their lives that doesn't involve wearing sparkles , diamanté, or indeed pink?

Yy - agree with michaelahpurple

LEDs are pretty bright and eye catching. They make a child quite visible crossing the roads in the dark winter months.

my ds had flashing lights shoes in his last school and they were from brantano, cant remember the brand but they should have loads in brantano.
his current school does ban them though! (but i would still buy them if i wanted cos i dont see it as a massive deal tbh!)

Bear in mind the lights only flash if the child runs or stamps hard which will not be happening in the classroom.
I think they are great [teacher for over 30 years now retired].

I think they are a great idea for young children, especially on these dark mornings and afternoons as they add to visibility when crossing roads etc. In my opinion this benefit alone justifies having them. Just for the record, I was a teacher for 31 years, twenty of those in primary schools. I really don't know what all the fuss is about.