Squeaky clean

Children wearing smart school shoes are no more likely to be trustworthy than children wearing wellington boots or trainers. Shoes don’t reflect character after all, any more than any other clothing. A child in a pair of plimsolls is just as likely to be polite as one with Black lace up shoes.

Often the children with the smartest, nicest appearance are the ones who are the least friendly, least helpful and most unkind to others. They are too wrapped up in their own image to be able to interact with others without thinking about how it will make them look to their friends. Of course it is not wrong to care for ones appearance and keep smart but there is more to life than shiny shoes and ironed trousers.

Lord Baden Powell would say that appearance is important, I know but I think he would agree that character and morals come before shoe polish. If I need to ask a child for help, I am not going to be looking at their shoes to help me decide which one to choose.

I think children who wear a school uniform should have to wear an appropriate pair of shoes to school. The school should advise what is acceptable and then parents and children should choose a pair of school shoes to conform to the rules.

There are lots of shoe shops where good quality, practical school shoes can be bought. It is not necessary for every child to wear exactly the same type or style of shoe. School shoes can be an expensive purchase for children and because children’s feet grow fast shoes may need to be replaced through the year. Parents should have the freedom to decide what shoes their children wear, and where these are purchased.

Most schools advise that children should wear black or brown shoes; there are very few schools that would request particular colours or styles. School shoes should be practical but complementary to the uniform; differing styles of shoes would not detract from the uniformity or standards of the school.