Uniform rules year 11 opinions please

[Pettyrules]

Dc in year 11, last day will be 17th June. The soles have come away on dcs shoes so they're letting water in.

Very politely asked the school if trainers could be worn. Explained reasoning that couldn't afford to buy new shoes which won't be used again after June.

Answer was a flat out 'no', and that any pupils not in correct uniform would be stopped from entering their exams and attending any end of year celebrations.

Overly harsh or sensible of school?

They’re bluffing - absolutely no way your child will be withdrawn from their exams for not having the correct uniform. I hate schools that do this.

Utterly ridiculous.

Is your child only in for exams now. I'd send him in trainers and tell him just to pop his shoes on as he enters the gates to walk to the exam room only.

Can you take the shoes to Timpsons or some local independent repair person and get them glued back together? Wouldn't be a permanent fix but might get you through the last month

Or put a message on the parent what's app if any and ask if anyone e a size bigger than your DS has an outgrown pair they could lend for a few weeks. Not ideal if they are wearing shoes not moulded to his own feet but if it's only a few days he'll manage. Wear the trainers to/from school.

Similarly, does the school have a lost property where there might be some random pairs of shoes that might fit, left over from changing to PE kit?

I mean I agree the school is being absurd, but there are some possible creative solutions here

How strict are they on shoes? I buy them in Shoe Zone for about £15. Don't need to be expensive

£15 is still a significant amount of money to spend on something that is only going to be worn for 4 weeks.

I like the suggestion of trainers until going into exam then putting on school shoes. That’s less of your energy expended on something so unnecessary and school can’t complain but kids feet are still fine. In this situation and times of other stresses this reduces any drama but still resolved the real problem.

I've had exactly the same situation. Shoes were falling apart, I asked the school if all black trainers would be okay for the last few days - no way. I understand where the school's coming from, they can't open the floodgates to every kid saying their shoes are knackered and turning up with all sorts on their feet.

We've used Gorilla glue on the shoes and prayed for dry weather 😳

I assume his feet have stopped growing now so if you did buy new shoes they could still be worn at a later date.

A pair of smart black shoes is quite a handy thing to have for interviews, weddings, funerals etc.

It is petty and quite ridiculous of the school though. A lot of schools seem to forget their purpose is for education. That should be their absolute priority not what type of black shoes a child has on.

Is a school-suitable pair of shoes genuinely never going to be worn again? Will your son never need to dress smartly for a job interview or formal event (wedding/funeral)

My son has worn black converse/vans/trainers for all of the above so it is very likely that no, the OP's son will never wear such a shoe again.

@Comefromaway I specifically said "formal event" - obviously many weddings and funerals are more informal and many job interviews are for jobs without a formal dress aspect so it's obviously the case that one could go to some kinds of events of these kinds dressed informally. Which is why I said formal.

Basic school uniform rules are usually broadly the same as absolute minimum standards for formal occasion clothing (with a few exceptions eg high heels being ok for formalwear but not for schoolwear) and school uniform policies are part of teaching young people that there are some circumstances where dressing appropriately to the context is more important than fashion and comfort choices. If a child has got to age 16 without being able to grasp this the school needs to put more effort into explaining and enforcing the policy, not less.

If you really don't want to buy another pair, just glue them and let him get wet feet.

You just have to pick the least bad option here

School will not budge and you can't blame them. Teenagers are hard-wired to take the piss if you give them an inch

Quick reply.

Tried gluing shoes but they came undone again.

Yes I agree a pair of black formal shoes is handy, but could do without spending the money right now. Shoe zone have some for £20 but it's £20 that could be spent better.

Just wondered what the general consensus was. Bit different for an adult children don't have their own money to replace uniform items generally. School is in a deprived area so I can imagine for some it could be a choice between £20 for shoes or £20 in the electric meter.

He may need shoes for those things but I think the issue for OP is the cost of the new shoes. They may not have the money to buy right now

Put some duct tape round them. Then change into trainers asap. They are being stricter than other schools at this stage.

Not allowed trainers at my son's school at all not even plain black. Sons have just broke and just spent £60 replacing them.

I think our school would say the same in this situation. Not saying I agree with it but as you asked what other schools would be doing.

I think school would say the same, but not comment on plain black trainers...

This. They can’t withdraw him from his exams. Ex exams officer so know the rules. They might however put him in isolation around exams which is not great. Personally I think footwear is a stupid school rule and my school was super strict. I’d ask for meeting with pastoral head and claim discrimination due to financial hardship. But that’s just my petty self.

I assume the OP knows her own son and knows if he is likely to need black school type shoes anyway.

School uniform rues are nothing like the rules for formal occasions. Depending on someone's personal style someone may like to wear formal shoes but the ones my son would choose are very different, more pointy if you see what I mean.

Most offices have a much more relaxed dress code, even things like law firms unless you are actually in court.

@Comefromaway that's it really. Different styles of shoes. Plus could do without the cost right now.

Think we will have e to just suck it up as I don't want him getting hassle at exam time.

Seems so petty, surely dry comfortable feet are the most important thing.

Actually... One of the girls in my school turned up on exam day wearing a long tiered skirt and a low cut gypsy blouse. She was met at door by the head teacher who turned her round and told her to go home and get changed. If she hurried she wouldn't miss much of the exam.
So schools can and will do this

Seems so petty, surely dry comfortable feet are the most important thing.

Your son may feel passing his exams and attending his prom, are the most important things!

This isn't the hill to die on. Just duct tape them and wear different shoes to and from school.

Don't buy new if you really can't afford them

Don't bank on that. At least two schools I've worked in absolutely did prevent students sitting their exams if not in full uniform. (It's also entirely possible that I made a complaint on students behalf that they were expected to wear ties and blazers in a boiling gym for exams but that's another discussion).

I remember sitting a GCSE exam in socks because of this! Ridiculous. I would call their bluff tbh. They prob have a spare pair somewhere they'll make him wear but he'll definitely be able to sit the exam.

Could he wear trainers to school and put the falling apart ones in his bag to put on in the exam hall?