Formal School Shoes vs PE Shoes - how to choose

Deciding on formal school shoes or PE Sports shoes for your children can require a lot of thought and consideration for many factors.

Most high-schools and primary schools require students to have formal school shoes rather than PE sporty shoes. The requirement for formal school shoes is slowly and slightly declining every year but is still required at most schools. We’re here to help you ensure your selection for school shoes whether they be formal, or sports shoes are in line with the school’s policy and serve your child with the comfort and a style that’s right for them.

Choosing Formal School Shoes

Schools that have a strict policy on having all black formal leather shoes, may also have a policy on style (Eg. No T-Bars only lace ups) so ensure to double check with the school. When selecting a formal school shoe, you’re looking for a style that has a cushioned heel and shock absorption which would be great for your child’s action-packed day at a school.

Keep in mind that your child or teenager is wearing these shoes all week, so as much as most of these styles offer durability, normal wear and tear may be present 6-8 months into the school year.

For younger students, you may wish to go with a self-fastening or buckle up style over a shoe with laces so that they can slip them on and off easily when needed. You can’t go wrong with brands like Alpha or Clarks when you’re looking for something formal.

Formal School Shoe Options:

1. Leather
2. Buckle
3. Lace-Up
4. Mary Jane
5. T-Bar
6. V-Strap

For junior school kids, we are big fans of the Alpha Milo, which combines a formal look with a self-fastening style, which is perfect for little hands. For your high schooler, you really can’t go wrong with the Clarks Daytona – there’s a reason this style is a top seller every year.

Choosing the right PE Shoes

For schools that do allow students to be in sports shoes every day, you need to consider that these shoes will need to get them through every day no matter the season. Consider a highly versatile shoe that has a leather upper to keep them dry on rainy days and great support to keep them moving throughout the day.

All black sports shoes are also a great option for schools that are lenient with the style of school shoe that their students need to wear as uniform. They combine the “uniform” look with all the amazing features of a sports shoe.

If the school policy is flexible with colour and an all-black shoe is not required, you can always opt for a brightly coloured PE sneaker or a white school shoes  (ensure that if you’re going this route to also have a great shoe cleaner on hand because you’ll need it!)

PE Shoe Options:

1. Asics School Shoes
2. Nike School Shoes

Your options don’t have to be limited when it comes to school shoes. Even if your child is required to be in formal shoes Monday to Friday you can always grab a pair of PE Sports shoes for the days they have to be in their sports or their outside school physical actives.

Whether you’re looking for either a formal school shoe or PE shoe, here at The Athlete’s Foot, we can help you find the right fit for your child or teenager with our instore shoe fitting service.