It is that time of year again when I despair at the choice of school shoes available for girls. My daughter is now about to start Year 2 and shortly after starting school, she complained that she couldn’t run around because of her shoes. I hadn’t thought much about her school shoes when I bought them - I had gone along to Clarks, got her feet measured and dutifully bought a pair of shoes from the ‘girls’ section.

After properly examining the selection of girls shoes available at a range of shops, I soon realised that very few of the shoes in the girls school section were designed with active kids in mind….. so I then bought her some ‘boys’ shoes! Off she went to school and came back that evening very excited that she could run ‘really fast’ in her new shoes. However by the end of the next day, she no longer wanted to be the only girl wearing ‘boys’ shoes.

Girls school shoes generally have a very thin sole, no proper toe bumper, are flimsy and not at all supportive for exercise. If your daughter is active, they will not last long.

I cannot be the only parent who despairs at this, which is why I am calling for shoe manufacturers like Clarks to create a range of unisex shoes or shoes that are targeted at girls which are suitable for active children.

On the Clarks website, features of the ‘girls’ shoes include bunny patterns, flower details and leather hearts, while their boys shoes feature “a durable rubber outsole with protective toe bumper - perfect for running around the playground in.”

After the Olympics many girls will be keen to be more active and try more sports. We already know from research that girls do less sport than boys and by their teenage years the number of girls taking part in activity has substantially declined.

Let’s encourage Clarks and other shoe manufacturers to create ‘sporty’ and affordable school shoes for girls and give our daughters, granddaughters, sisters and nieces the best possible chance of a healthy and active future. #thisgirlcan