School shoes- boy starting y7

[Psst1980]

My 11 year old is worrying about getting the “right” school shoes. He likes to be on trend, he’s active and sporty. He’s been wearing black airforce at primary as have all his mates.

The secondary school he will be attending have a strict uniform policy- no trainers or ‘trainer style’ (not even ones that could be polished- so airforce are out!) no boots and need to be black. What to buy?!
He’s got annoyingly narrow feel too🤦🏻‍♀️

We're in the "don't seem to care" camp here. My DS had a plain pair of Clarks lace ups last year - I think he's in a reasonably cool gang at school. They mostly seem to wear a rounded toe lace up - often with a chunkier sole.

Sorry edited as just seen it has to be quite a strict code. I think if it’s strict you’ll be fine with most things TBF.

My son is the same age and at his school all the boys wear fire trap boots from sports direct

Ultimately he will have to follow the school uniform rules. I certainly wouldn't be allowing him to push the boundaries to try and be 'cool'.

Ime schools are keen to lay down the law to year 7 and they won't be impressed if he rocks up in trainers.

What on earth are you talking about?
I simply asked what are the current trending school shoes to have, as until now primary uniform has allowed trainers. Of course he will be in approved uniform, just wondering what secondary school shoes are in fashion right now.

They all are leather.

LOL! I wear those for work! I can confirm that they are durable and wear well, however they wouldn't be allowed as a "sport style" in the schools round here.

Interesting that everyone says no Velcro.

Most boys in ds school wore this style (these were the ones ds wore)

https://www.sportsdirect.com/pretty-green-harrow-vel-sn-112208#colcode=11220803

i agree that no one seemed to give a shit what their mates wore and I was quite glad to see so many in this style as ds had no choice and he couldn’t tie laces!

Did you read the OP, @BeachLife2 ? Which part of "The secondary school he will be attending have a strict uniform policy- no trainers or ‘trainer style’..." did you not understand?

I'm in NI but my sons seem to want laced up, slightly narrowed at front shoes. The best ones I ever bought were from H&m (they still do them, will link below). I found them in the sale and ordered 4 pairs in 2 sizes. Very glad I did because they lasted brilliantly (they play football at lunch in them and most shoes don't survive until Christmas).

https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.1261294001.html

The school should have examples on their website - typically business style like this

https://www.clarks.com/en-gb/lorcam-loop-youth/26178301-p

The majority of kids will be wearing the same

Im broadly in favour of uniform, but the strict shoe policy is an utter nightmare if your child has a challenging foot size. My kid isn’t brand conscious at all, but after 2 days of trying on every black polishable lace up shoe from every shoe shop, department store and supermarket, the only shoe that fits on my wife footed high instepped boy is Dr Martens. £140 a pair.

Black Stan Smiths also fit and are a fraction of the price. But not allowed.

@UpMyself

I did, but ime many parents seem to think rules don't apply to their DC.

Our school makes it explicitly clear that trainers are not permitted, yet some parents and DC still try it.

These would be an absolute no at my children's school. They're very strict. Shoes have to have a heel so all trainer style ones are out and it's formal shoes only. They're all in the same boat though so makes no difference. We usually get their shoes from Clarks.

My kids school bans Kickers and Dr Martens so I would check your school website as most have their uniform policy on there with examples of acceptable and unacceptable shoes.

Black lace up or slip on ones. Noone actually cares as long as they are not trainer style. The boys at my school wear Next, M&S, supermarket mens shoes, Clarks etc. I've even bought from Shoe Zone in the past and they've lasted a lot longer than some more expensive ones.

In solidarity my son is the same, he will also care that he gets it right. No one says it in school, but the pressure to fit in worries are still there.

to make it worse my son is absolutely hopeless with laces - I’ve tried for years and makes football boots a pita. He’s also got huge feet, so I’m thinking some kind of smart loafer.

M&S have a good range and are hard wearing

They’re classed as ‘trainer style shoes’ at my school.

They all wore ‘geek’ shoes at myDS’s school all the way up. The styling/rebellion went into how they did their ties, rolling sleeves up on blazers - a weird short-lived thing- and collars turned up.
Kids get put in detention, lose points or whatever on periodic uniform sweeps so it stops them being brand orientated, mostly. Also they soon do it outside and at weekends instead. Got for the dullest/plainest least obvious ones possible

@Psst1980 Buy him a pair of standard black shoes and explain to him that fashion is for women, not men.

I don’t think so, as far as I know it’s the name of the shop that sells other brands like Uggs, Dr Martens etc. We get the Schuh own brand, which is a no name kind of shoe because there’s no brand wrote on it, just all plain black and they only cost like £22.

Exactly this. Plain black lace up shoes. Perfect.

Easy! It's kickers or DMs!!!!!