Will these be OK for School Shoes

bestpud

laurel7172 wrote: »

I hope they're OK, because my son is starting secondary school with a pair of them. We bought them towards the end of last term-they were fine for primary school and I don't do shoe shopping by the calendar. He'll wreck them soon enough!

I'm a bit nervous, because when we got them out of the cupboard they did look a bit like trainers, and the dress code is very strict. But I figure that if they aren't acceptable, at least we'll be finding out with an "old" pair of shoes.

What does it say about shoes on the uniform list? That is a general question to everyone really.

I ask because, if it says 'black shoes', then they are 'shoes' iyswim?

They certainly aren't trainers, even if they look like them.

I'd have thought schools would put they are not to resemble trainers if they felt that strongly about it?

laurel7172

bestpud wrote: »

What does it say about shoes on the uniform list? That is a general question to everyone really.

I ask because, if it says 'black shoes', then they are 'shoes' iyswim?

They certainly aren't trainers, even if they look like them.

I'd have thought schools would put they are not to resemble trainers if they felt that strongly about it?

It just says no trainers. So I'd have a strong case, I hope, because they're demonstrably not. Although I'd rather buy him new shoes than have him subjected to constant harassment by the staff. If the guidance is clear and they're overreaching themselves by retrospectively designating school shoes as trainers, I know I should stand up to them on principle, but it isn't going to be me who suffers for it.

It has just occurred to me, too, that it always takes the best part of the day to find him ANY shoes that don't actually cut into him (high instep). I'm used to it, so I never think about it, but they were the ONLY pair of shoes in 50 miles that fitted. I don't know how we'll ever find him shoes that fit if we're forced into artificial style constraints. ARGH!

fernliebee

I think they are fine, and obviously described by Clarks as suitable for school shoes. If the school had an issue with it, then I would give them a link to the page you linked to in OP, and then if they aren't happy ask them if they will pay for the replacements. I'm not a huge fan of uniforms (but thats a whole different subject ) but I do think if they were to make a fuss, they would look very silly as they are def shoes rather than trainers as specified by them in their uniform list.

yus786

yus786 wrote: »

They are out of stock at our stores but they have these which i've asked them to reserve.

Any better?

http://www.clarks.co.uk/find/Department-is-boys/EndUses-is-school/Size-is-5bd/product-is-20317302

Just picked them up. Much much better and £4 cheaper...

Thanks for all your help and helping me decide.

OrkneyStar

Surely schools should be focused more on the fact that the child is wearing shoes which are good for their feet ? As long as the overall colour is correct then why does it matter if they look a little like trainers ? I realise many of you have to struggle with silly uniform rules and it must be so annoying!

LJM

to me they look like a very sturdy shoe,clarks is a good brand and if they have advertised them as school shoes then that would be fine by me.they dont look like trainers at all

kjmtidea

I had to buy them for my eldest son because he has narrow feet and they are the only ones that fitted properly.
I am not keen on them to be honest, they do look like trainers a bit too much for my liking but they fit correctly and should last a while so they will have to do!

Savvy_Sue

I'd love to know when a shoe becomes a trainer and vice versa ...

but once again I'm just SOOOOOO happy we don't have to worry about school uniform any more! :rotfl:

I know DS3's shoes / trainers need replacing, but he's in denial and won't come with me to buy new ones so I'm letting him get wet feet! :rotfl:

I insisted on buying DS1 new shoes for his graduation (because his old pair were so tatty!), and I'd say they were more like the pair in the first link than proper 'suit shoes', but no-one commented.

Oh, and we spent a good long time with DS2: he has my dad's high instep and it's a nightmare! We ended up getting his feet measured: he's coming up as a 7, but he's been in 10s for the last year, and we've now gone down to 8s, which seem to fit, whereas 7s most certainly did not! He was wondering online whether another part of his anatomy had grown to make up for his feet apparently shrinking. :rotfl: