Parenting / 1 August, 2022 / Ellie Thompson

A Guide To Buying The Right School Shoes For Your Child

We’ve teamed up with Start-Rite Shoes to bring you this helpful guide to buying school shoes. From measuring tips to choosing the right style for your child, we’ve got school shoes sussed.

Don’t shop too early… or too late

We are huge advocates of being organised when it comes to prepping for the new school year. We recommend getting ahead when it comes to buying uniform and stationery, but where school shoes are concerned, it’s best to wait until mid-August, so you can snap up the styles in the sizes you want, but allow that extra time for little feet to do any last minute growing.

Check your school’s policy on shoes

Your school will usually issue a uniform guidebook, so it’s worth referring to that advice to check for any restrictions on footwear. Some schools prefer shoes to be plain, without flashing lights or embellishments.

Choosing a style of school shoe to suit your child

It’s important to think carefully about the style of school shoes that might suit your child. Do they have wide feet, a high instep or narrow feet? Start-Rite Shoes has a range of different styles to suit different feet, so it’s important to take this into consideration for the best fit.

Laces, buckles or velcro?

If your child is starting school, chances are, they won’t have mastered the art of tying laces and might struggle with small buckles. Start-Rite Shoes has a fantastic range of rip-tape styles, giving kids the opportunity to get dressed independently so that when it comes to P.E or forest school, they can pull their shoes on and off without having to ask for help.

Measure, measure, measure.

All shoe companies measure differently so if you’re measuring feet at home with a view to buying your child’s school shoes online, it’s important to refer to each brand’s guide to measuring feet. Alternatively, book an appointment with a Start-Rite stockist at a time to suit and let a specialist ensure you have the correct fit for your child.

The right fit is best for the child’s health and the longevity of the shoe. Start-Rite Shoes have in-built growing room around the toes which is vital for your child’s developing muscles, ligaments and bones.

Start-Rite Shoes: Foot Measuring Gauges

Keep up with your child’s growing feet at home with Start-Rite’s foot measuring gauges. The gauge measures the length and width of your child’s feet so you can find their Start-Rite shoe size. The small gauge is suitable for measuring children aged 0-3 (or up to a small size 8 and a half shoe size), and the large gauge is suitable for measuring children aged 4+ (or from a small size 9 shoe size).

Paper Measuring Gauge

Parents can also download and print this free and simple-to-use paper measuring gauge.

Vegan school shoes: be kind to the environment

Start-Rite Shoes has a range of vegan leather school shoes for children in a number of styles as well as whole and half sizes and wide fit. They’re made with the same high standards and attention to detail as all of Start-Rite shoes, just without any animal products. They’re soft, lightweight and breathable, perfect whether you’re a vegan or simply want an alternative choice to leather.

Cross-over styles: shopping for school shoes on a budget

Start-Rite Shoes have designed a collection of cross-over styles, fab for those shopping on a budget. These shoes will work brilliantly both in the playground and at parties and there’s something for every taste, foot type and shape. Again, don’t forget to check with your school’s uniform guide as to what’s acceptable before they get their heart set on their favourite pair.

Put comfort first when making choices with Air Rite technology

Little feet are prone to being sweaty, but with Start-Rite’s smart Air Rite technology, sweaty feet are kept at bay, as air is allowed to flow around the feet, allowing heat to escape, all without affecting the shoes’ ability to cope with wet weather conditions. Air Rite technology is available across Start-Rite school styles in the primary and senior categories, keeping growing feet comfortable all day long.

Buy once, buy better

Don’t fall into the trap of fast fashion – it’s a false economy. It takes approximately eight thousand litres of water to make one pair of shoes and over 40 years for a pair to decompose. It’s thought that for every pair of quality shoes bought, you can expect to purchase around three pairs of lower quality shoes that will wear quickly, and could also fail to properly support your child’s feet after around four to six weeks.

A quality pair of school shoes should last until the child has grown out of them, so we hope you’ll agree that investing in quality school shoes is smarter for your wallet and the planet.

Shop school shoes online

Miss the madness and consider shopping from the comfort of your own home. To get started, simply download Start-Rite’s measuring tool and read Start-Rite’s Must-Read Guide To Correctly Fitting And Buying Children’s Shoes Online.

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