Is he being too strict?

It seems that the majority of parents in the school support his stance. The kids will always 'try it on', it's human nature, it's the parents who need taking to task.

Surely the lad, who was wearing trainers because of hypermobility issues, would have had a letter from his doctor/specialist explaining his condition (I know someone with the condition and a letter accompanies them wherever they go in case a situation crops up!). Presumably, he doesn't have such proof of his condition?

The head went too far in telling a father to buy black leather shoes to replace the daughters black suede shoes , trainers fair enough

I think he was perfectly right having informed everyone last term that this would be happening, parents should of shown a good example of respecting rules for the whole school and complied with the uniform rules. The shoe rule at GD school is all shoes to be leather or substitute not canvas or cloth shoes not sure where suede comes within that remit as I guess they are leather.

He did say it was a very small minority of parents who made things difficult.

If there is a school uniform then all pupils should adhere to it.
If there is a valid reason why a child should be exempt from a particular part of the dress code then the parents have had all summer to sort it out.
The parents are clearly at fault.
Perhaps on the first day children should have been allowed to remain at school, been put in contact with parents and told they would be excluded the next day.

Bit daft, and unfair, to punish the children when it's their parents who have broken the rules, or at least not followed them to the letter.

There are some silly school uniform rules. At Minibags's school she's allowed to have maroon hair (or hair pretty much any other colour) but not maroon shoes. Girls can wear micro mini skirts with black tights but not black leggings. Fussing about stuff that isn't, in the big scheme of things, important is good education?

I think he is correct, our kids get detention if their top button is undone or sleeves rolled up. Rules are rules teach your child to adhere to them or send them to a school that isn't strong on discipline.
If they ve been told only leather shoes then that's what it should be, sloppy dress code makes sloppy work BUT the teachers should be smart too no jeans or flip flops for them
Well you can't exactly punish the parents can you? apart from sending the kid home which presumable punishes both child and parent well maybe the parent more as the child might enjoy being sent home
I think he is dead right

But it is not unusual to hear suede called suede leather

I think "polishable" shoes was the rule, which would exclude suede or textiles,but could be man-made faux leather.

I agree standards need to improve and this was a starting point. The school has been having serious problems I understand so maybe a firm hand is what is needed.

I don't think this is just about uniform; it is about conforming in order to learn. I would be pretty miffed if I had a child at this school and so much time had been diverted to these parents and children. This seems more to do with 'I have a right to my opinion and having expressed it I have a right to have it respected and a right to insist you agree I am right.' Only the first part of that is true. They have an opinion but they are not right.

One of the mums on the radio was furious because her son had been sent home, she'd sent her son to school without a blazer as they had " sold out of blazers in Tescos last week" , she'd only had 6 weeks to organise this.

Any mention of plimsolls at all ?

No, I do not think the headmaster is being too strict. Schools have rules as does life. I really think that some people, in this case some of the parents, just want an axe to grind and any old axe will do.

Jane10 Ah, perhaps they'll be arriving in Vans?!

I agree with thatbags that some uniform rules are crazy.

I did agree with the father of the girl who had a perfect uniform and sensible shoes but the headmaster sent her home as her shoes had a thin band of dark brown around the rim. Personally I think he (the head) needs to get a life and possibly a suit that fits him

Some people do appear to leave the buying of school uniform too late. I went shopping in an area I rarely visit on Monday and saw a queue outside a shop going a fair distance down the street. It was a shop which stocked uniforms and that is obviously why the long queue was there. I am aware that children grow out of their clothes quickly but buying the day before they return to school to me is silly.

How do you know that the uniforms haven't only just come back into stock Charleygirl?

Also full school uniforms are very expensive and a lot of parents will need to buy a bit at a time. My 3 DGC all attend the same school and they each need several shirts/blouses, blazers, skirts, trousers, coat, jumpers/cardigans, shoes, socks, PE Top, PE shorts etc.

Actually Gillybob they are not expensive apart from any schools that had badged clothes..... shirts trousers skirts PE stuff etc etc can be bought very very cheaply at all the supermarkets 2 blouses for £3 etc etc ...of course if they have to have a blazer with a badge it's more expensive but a lot of schools you can buy the badge and sew it or iron it on the blazer yourself
Our charity shop sells all school uniforms and they are really good quality some new with labels still on at 50p an item but if course you do have to be organised you can't go and find the right size the day before they go back to school
I think it's really important that they stick to what the school wants if everyone just deviates a bit then it can end up rag tag and bobtail
When they go out into the world and have a job that requires a uniform they wouldn't turn up in something else

I have just had a look at the uniform specifications for the single-sex school my GS has just started in Y7. Blazers can be bought from any retailer and badges bought from the school. Ties need to be bought from the school as they vary from one house to another. The PE kit, both indoor and outdoor has to have the school logo. It all sounds quite sensible to me. It says 'black school shoes - no trainers'. Nothing about suede, though I'd never put an 11-year-old boy in suede shoes. Uniform for Y7 can be bought at the annual school welcome evening.

At the end of the day it isn't really about the uniform is it? Its about learning respect for authority and rules, pride in their school and that everyone regardless of social,ethnic or religious group are dressed the same, head dresses excepted.

There will always be those who don't want to be told what to do and that includes the parents as well as the children thank goodness they are in the minority.

Exactly Tanith it's more than just uniform and yesterday, the second day children were sent home, it was 20 out of over eight hundred pupils. What a farce though making the national news.

Jane10 and Minimouse
I was going to say something similar but you beat me to it!

Jalima I hadn't cottoned on until Jane10's post!

The cost of school uniform depends on the school. The uniform my children attended (a comprehensive) could only be bought from one supplier, because everything had the school logo. Nothing could be bought from high street shops or supermarkets, apart from shoes and trainers for PE.