It’s time to head back to school after the fantastic summer holidays. The six weeks have pretty much flown by and whilst we’ve crammed loads of memories into the last month and a half, we’ve also been preparing for the next year in our children’s education. With this in mind, we’ve worked with Start-Rite to get the best shoes for our children’s growing feet. There are many sites out there offering Start-Rite shoes reviews but we’ve got an up-to-date one, packed with all the latest information.
A New School Year With New Challenges
Here at ThriftyChap HQ, we’ve got something new coming this September as our eldest ventures off to high school. This has meant new clothing, figuring out what route they’ll walk to their new school and embracing a little bit of extra independence. One thing we’re always sure of is getting decent school shoes. It’s a must, especially with our eldest going from a 5 minute walk to school to a 30 minute meander.
This is why we’ve continued to trust Start-Rite for our school shoes and are happy to do so again this year. Having comfortable shoes that protect the feet in all weather, whilst being durable and hard-wearing takes something off the neverending list of stuff to organise. Knowing that these shoes will last the school year, even with foot growth, means we can focus on other areas of our children’s education, safe in the knowledge that their feet are being looked after.
The Start-Rite Way
Start-Rite is on a nationwide mission to help every parent understand the supporting role of footwear as their child develops during the school days. As our kids spend upwards of six hours a day at school, five days a week, they need to be comfortable and supported. The encouraged campaigns of walking to school, along with running around in the playground means shoes need to be better than good.
The Brand Training Manager of the company, Val Barbour, delves deeper.
“A child wears their school shoes for at least 1,280 hours each year. The shoes inform how the body moves and develops and the wrong shoes can disrupt healthy growth patterns, potentially leading to physical challenges later in life. Given bones continue to develop right through to the age of 21, supporting that development throughout the school years is critical for a confident and comfortable future.
“As such, shoes are so much more than an item of school uniform; they are a piece of equipment that is fundamental to supporting the child’s development.
“Start-Rite school shoes are enablers. They protect developing cartilage, support joints, ligaments and tendons, reduce the risk of injury and enable healthy growth.”
Unique & Individual
We are shown school uniform sales even before the previous year has finished. By definition, uniform means the same. This might be true with jumpers, polo shirts and skirts. However, when it comes to shoes, there is certainly no one-size-fits-all approach.
Start-Rite understands that each pair of feet has a set of requirements that the shoes should meet. I didn’t realise just how much of a range of sizes children in the same year as much kids required. Our middle child’s football coach sent a message on the group chat asking for foot sizes so he could buy new socks to go with a new kit. The range was incredible, from a group of kids all in the same year at school. The smaller sizes were kids 12, but there were plenty of other sizes up to adult 5! Each child is unique. With this range of different needs, there are specific Start-Rite school shoe styles that are considered to be the ‘Best for’ a variety of needs.
- Strike and Flourish are best for durability, with extra scuff resistance.
- Learn and Classroom are the best on-a-budget offerings.
- Rocket and Poppy are the go-to fit for children with a high instep.
These are just a few key examples that you might be looking for. There is an entire range from Start-Rite so you’ll be sure to find the right shoe for your child. You’ll be sure of the perfect fit too, as Start-Rite has partnered with SizeWise to launch a first-of-its-kind digital foot-measuring tool.
Look After Your Growing Kids
As parents, we want the very best for our children. As they grow and develop we stand by them and nurture them in the best way we possibly can. When you invest in decent footwear for them to wear at school, they really can put their best foot forward. Help them walk into the new school year, through those playground gates, in style!
With so many Start-Rite shoes reviews online, I hope you have found this one useful.
