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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Clarks shoes for high school?

97 replies

MsLydia · 09/08/2012 09:29

Would you buy your year 7 ds Clarks shoes for school? I usually always get school shoes from there but Im thinking they might be a no no for high school?

OP posts:
hairyqueenofscots · 09/08/2012 09:32

o no, i was kidding my son on that i was taking him to clarks for his shoes for starting high school, not too happy is an understatement, highly amusing for me though :)

Spinaroo · 09/08/2012 09:33

Mine refused!

MsLydia · 09/08/2012 09:33

Might try that myself (grin)

OP posts:
TeamGBgroupie · 09/08/2012 09:36

Mine wears plain black Vans.

marriednotdead · 09/08/2012 09:46

Our school don't allow Vans. I've seen a few boys in Wallabies.

Having watched DSS trash his way through various options, I'm pleased that I stuck with Kickers (kick hi) for DS. Most of the boys wear them and with a re-heel around Feb half term, they last DS the entire academic year. £70 well spent IMO.

usualsuspect · 09/08/2012 09:47

No I wouldn't.

GnocchiNineDoors · 09/08/2012 09:49

You might be able to get away with t for year seven but not for eight and beyond.

CouthyMow · 09/08/2012 09:50

Bootleg from Clarks. DD still wears them and she is in Y9. They also have a more 'fashion' range for older girls, though the name eludes me. The boys won't notice shoes at all as long as they don't hurt their feet!

Toughasoldboots · 09/08/2012 09:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CouthyMow · 09/08/2012 09:51

Our Secondary has amazingly strict rules on shoes though.

Joshpoodlehamster · 09/08/2012 10:50

Angry Angels is the new name for older girls' start-rite shoes.

Y8 child has opted for exactly the same shoe as last year which is a Clarks. After being measured found out he needed exactly the same size which was not in stock. Came home and bought on eBay and saved ourselves £13.

mummytime · 09/08/2012 10:57

Mine have no issue with Clarks shoes in years 9 and 11. But then school is very strict on Uniform.

stressheaderic · 09/08/2012 11:04

Seriously, even in year 11?

All of the boys and girls in the high school where I work are very brand aware and would be laughed at mercilessly if they wore Clarks. Saying that, most of the boys wear plain black Nike trainers or Vans (on the very margin of what's allowed)

mummytime · 09/08/2012 11:13

Trainers are strictly not allowed, until sixth form. Admittedly they compare themselves to the local privates, which are even worse on shoes. But Bootleg or similar are fine at all local state schools until sixth form.

skrumle · 09/08/2012 11:19

according to my DD - starting secondary next week - when they were on their induction days one of the depute heads came round the classrooms and inspected shoes and highlighted shoes that wouldn't be allowed. anything trainer-y is out, even if plain black.

we're going to try clarks tomorrow but i don't have high hopes. she's getting new insoles from podiatrist tomorrow morning which will probably limit shoes that will fit so i have a horrible feeling we're going to end up with a hassle with the school...

amck5700 · 09/08/2012 11:20

My eldest starts High school this year but this is scotland, so he would be roughly equivalent to year 8. I got him plain shoes from Next, he is not fashion concious but i didn't want him teased. However, i have No 2 son going into P7/your year 7 and the next shoes didn't fit so I ordered a couple of pairs from Clarks - more a trainer style as they are not so strict on it having to be an actual shoe as the High school seem to be. Anyway, they turned up and both pairs were exactly the same shoe (deccan boy or stockton bl) except the deccan ones had clarks written across the strap and the stockton don't, they just have a different lining, so visible brand at all. So as long as your son is allowed strap like shoes then these may fit the bill as you wouldn't know they were clarks.

www.clarks.co.uk/p/20350622

amck5700 · 09/08/2012 11:23

These are the ones I got for my High School boy - they feel pretty good quality.

amck5700 · 09/08/2012 11:23

oops!

www.next.co.uk/x50786s2

teacherwith2kids · 09/08/2012 11:27

As a parent with a non fashion-aware son with VERY big feet which are a strange shape [protruberent bony lump on the top of very high arches, narrow ankles but wide at the front of the feet, exceptionally long big toes] and need proper fitting, I've taken him to our local Start-rite stockist and got him yet another pair of Rhino shoes for Year 7

School very strict on uniform - no brands to be visible at all, no trainer-type shoes - and for his own comfort his shoes will always have to be properly fitted, so until he falls off the top of the size range then I imagine we will carry on doing the same each year. However, they do only go up to Size 10, which on current progress is only another 3 years' growth....

amck5700 · 09/08/2012 11:29

we are on size 7 and size 6 in this house too.

BringBack1996 · 09/08/2012 11:29

I did buy DS some Clarks for his first term of year 7 (so long ago now!) but they didn't actually stand up to much walking and playing football as I had hoped! After that I ended up buying two cheaper pairs of shoes a year rather than one expensive pair that he hated and turned out to be no better at dealing with teenage life!

titchy · 09/08/2012 11:30

Dd, going into year 9, quite happy with Clarks - all her friends have clarks! (The same style which makes finding right pair after PE interesting....).

Ds is going into year 7 and is getting new Clarks this afternoon - dd's advice was that the boys really don't care what shoes they or anyone else wears!

titchy · 09/08/2012 11:32

Oh - as long as boys shoes aren't velcro was dd's other sage shoe-advice! So sorry amck those wouldn't work!

SparklingGoldMedals · 09/08/2012 11:36

DS going into Year 9 in September, he has just had a pair of Clarks school shoes. Here He was quite happy.

invicta · 09/08/2012 11:37

My son is going into year 8 and has always worn Clarks. It's never been an issue. He likes to wear smart shoes with his uniform ( although is not good at clleaning them!).