Beginning to think the world has gone mad. My grandaughter had to get new gym shoes for starting back to school today (Scotland). They must be white soled as black "marks the gym floor". Cost £40 for the type she needed. How on earth can families afford this, especially if you have 2/3 children to kit out. Personally I would have gone to Asda/Tesco and bought a pair and hang the "rules".
Do they have to be a certain type? There will be plenty of white soled trainers about for much less that £40, especially in places like Sports Direct. I don't think I've ever paid more than £20 for my daughters as her school had the same problem with thy gym floor in the sports centre that they took the students to.
Start Rite may be black soled BUT they are non-marking. We had several meetings with S/R the school and discussions with parents and they were pretty inexpensive too.
I don't mind the primary uniform so much but it's the stuff with the logo on for secondary that I get cross about - a logo'd polo shirt to go under a logo'd jumper, special gym top and rugby top and logo'd shorts (which you can't see because I buy the tops nice and big) - and that's just the bare minimum :(