How are your school shoes holding up so far?

[ThanksForAllTheFish]

Thought I would ask as that's the first term over and I know from previous threads a lot of people are replacing or have already replaced shoes by now.

So what did you buy and how well are they holding up?

DD's school shoes this year are Startrite princess serena. I got them online reduced to £25 from £47 and I am impressed. This is the first year we have bought startrite (previously tried clarks, Lelli Kelly, Tesco and Riscosta).

The shoes still look really good so far. Small scuff on one toe that polishes out, soles still holding up with only a little bit of wear on the heels. By the looks of things they should last beyond Christmas and into the new year. DDs feet usually grow around Feb/ March so I'm hoping they last fine until then. DD is relatively easy in shoes though so that does make a difference.

We are in Scotland so shoes have now been in use for 10 weeks but at least a week of that has been holiday so probably closer to 8/9 weeks worth of wear.

DS2 - Superfit and they look amazing.

Can usually handle 6 months so although expensive we only need 2 pairs a year and that's due to growth not condition of shoes.

DS1 has gone to the land of secondary school where it's black shoes only. His are a disgrace but I am not buying any more until Christmas.

We are in year 5 now, so I think I am justified in observing that DD trashes shoes...she even wears holes in the heals/soles of wellies! We tend to alternate 2 pairs so I reckon about 3 months' wear before the sole is worn out (the toes are usually scuffed by the end of the first week). We walk about 1km each way to/from school along untarmac'd lanes and roads She tends to wear trainers/boots the rest of the time.

For the younger years, I thought it slightly mad, but patent shoes really did seem to hold up better. Maybe DD thought they looked smarter, so she didn't use her toes instead of a brake on her scooter!

I am lucky that DD isn't too fussy about clothes and shoes so is just thankful to have things that fit! Her feet have stayed the same width for 5 years (but are almost as big as mine) so I tend to "buy ahead" in the sales and measure regularly.

She has mostly had Startrites, with a few Primigis (no longer as easy for me to get hold of)...but we are just on our second pair of Toughees. The previous pair lasted at least 6 months (but needed a bit of wearing in to stop rubbing around the ankle) and looked fairly pristine for 4 or 5 of the months.

As a family, we should probably buy shares in Timpsons!

Startrite Engineers - they were about £40 but they've held up really well on my Reception aged child who walks half an hour to and from school and seems to spend most of the day climbing outside. I think I have cleaned/waxed/polished them three times since the start of term .

DD1 practically grew out of them after 3 weeks of wear so is in terrible looking cheapies until next month at least.

DD2 is doing fine (clarks) except a bit of a scuff on her left shoe

DN (guardian of my niece) has swapped hers out for a cheap pair of slip one from primark.... Oh secondary school.

DD - vans- like new and she walks 3 miles a day
DS - Clarks, he has had them since before summer holidays but the outer sole of the heel has worn away leaving little hollows exposed. I think his feet are due a growth spurt ( haven't grown for sixth months) so I am reluctant to buy another pair in the same size unless they start to let in water. Vans or dms all round next time!

Last year I brought ds a pair of school shoes from sainsburys.I think they were about £18.they lasted until the last week of the year.

I then brought him a cheap pair from show some,which wore down last term.rubbish.

So he now has a £40 Clark's pair.just hoping they last the year.

*shoe zone

My twins (reception) are in Pedipeds and Bobux and both still look pretty much new.

Ricosta and look pretty good if slightly scuffed.

5yr old dd is on patent lelli Kelly shoes with the interchangeable straps, they were £45 from an independent children's shop and look brand new! I'm very impressed as heard a few bad things about them.
We swop and change the straps and they are polished with a shoe sponge every night.
I hate Clarks shoes and will probably buy more Lelli Kelly when her feet grow.

DD has just announced today her trainers are too tight - so I've just checked and her feet have grown. Toes right at the top so we are off shoe shopping today.

Luckily her school shoes still have half the growing room left at the toes (about half a thumb width) but I might need to replace them sooner rather than later.

Does anyone know when school shoes go into the sale? (thinking clarks or John Lewis) I think we can hold off until December and if I remember correctly there is usually a sale around that time.