Fit for purpose school shoes

Many thanks to the 8000 people who have signed my petition and shared it on social media sites. I am really hopeful that this campaign will have raised awareness of the issues faced when buying school shoes for girls and that by September 2017 there will be a lot more choice available. Many of you have provided feedback in the comments section about the problems you have faced when buying school shoes and details of the shoe manufacturers you would recommend. One of these companies was Ascent Footwear, an Australian company that has recently launched in the UK. They already offer unisex shoes and market their school shoes as a ‘Sports Shoe in Disguise’. The exciting news is that they want to work with the British public to design a school shoe that is truly fit for purpose. You can find out more at https://www.ascentfootwear.co.uk/promos/shoe-design-comp The other company that has been mentioned is Plae who manufacturer a range of shoes that support healthy foot growth with options for children who wear orthotics and fitted afo braces. You can find out more at http://www.goplae.co.uk/ The ultimate goal is that every child will have access to shoes that are fit for purpose no matter what the family budget. I would love to see unisex shoes and shoes marketed at girls that are truly fit for purpose available in high street shops such as Clarks as well as supermarkets where many families buy shoes from. The good news is that Clarks have now acknowledged this petition and I am hopeful that the input you have all provided in the comments section will encourage them to create “school shoes for 'girls' that are sporty, durable and suitable for active kids.” (…and in a style that means they don’t get their feet wet!) My daughter’s school is also now actively encouraging all children to change into their PE shoes at lunch times. Although there would be no need for this to happen if school shoes were designed with active kids in mind, this small step will certainly encourage our children to be more active and healthy. I am very thankful to our Headteacher for allowing this flexibility in school uniform policy and I hope that more Headteachers can be encouraged to do the same. Many thanks again, Caroline