HEALTH WARNING AS MILLIONS OF CHILDREN GO BACK TO SCHOOL

• 61% of parents admit to buying school shoes that don’t fit (affecting 5m+ children)
• Shoes that don’t fit wear out more quickly
• 48% of parents don’t check if school shoes fit properly
• Poor footwear choices during childhood significantly increase the risk of long term foot deformities and chronic pain
• 70% of adult foot issues originate in childhood

Over five million children in the UK could be heading back to school in shoes that will damage them, as new research from Start-Rite Shoes has found 61 per cent of parents buy school shoes “too big”. The research also found that 48 per cent of parents don’t check that school shoes fit properly and four in 10 (40 per cent) school children have complained their shoes hurt them.

“It is now understood that around 70 per cent of adult foot issues originate in childhood, so poor footwear choices during childhood significantly increase the risk of long term foot deformities and chronic pain,” warns Karen Randell, Clinical Director of Randell’s Footcare. “The shoe can impact the function of the foot, encouraging incorrect or uncontrolled walking patterns. Footwear, especially in the developing foot, is crucial for healthy development. We regularly see issues such as ingrown toenails, corns and calluses, chronic heel pain, and nail trauma linked to poorly fitting footwear.

“Although bunions and other toe deformities are less common in children, ill fitting shoes during the growing years can contribute to long term structural problems. These include clawed toes, hammer toes and overlapping toes, all of which may lead to painful corns and calluses in adulthood. Ensuring children wear correctly fitted shoes is one of the simplest ways to protect their long term foot health.”

If the shoe doesn’t fit

What many parents might see as a cost-saving tactic often has the opposite effect, as Callum Linger, Brand Trainer and Fitting Expert at Start Rite explains: “The instinct to save time and money by buying shoes half a size, to a full size bigger for ‘room to grow’ can end up costing more in the long run. When shoes don’t fit properly, the foot moves unnaturally inside the shoe, which can rub the skin sore and create wear and tear, in areas of the shoe not designed for pressure. Poor fit can contribute to more frequent replacements, and this might explain why almost a third (32 per cent) of parents are buying three or more pairs of school shoes for their child each year.”

"Children grip or curl their toes, or drag their feet to keep oversized shoes on, which compromises the shoe and can cause trauma and biomechanical issues. By contrast, a well fitted shoe supports natural movement, feels comfy and lasts longer. Start-Rite school shoes are shoes are designed with calculated ‘growing room’, which considers several factors including enough room in the toe box. Our shoes hold the foot securely at the ankle while allowing the toes to move comfortably at the front of the shoe. This freedom of movement actively promotes healthy development.”

Rule of thumb

Buying oversized shoes isn’t the only area for concern. Start-Rite also estimates that over two and a half million children are wearing school shoes fitted by parents relying on the ‘thumb test’, where all they do is press the front of the shoe to feel where the big toe sits. And 38 per cent of parents don’t consider the width of their child’s foot at all. To help parents who use the 'thumb test' avoid common mistakes, fit expert Callum Linger encourages the use of Start-Rite’s ‘Check the Fit’ guide, a visual guide to help parents check more accurately before they buy.

The growing trend for pre-loved

Start Rite also found a growing trend in pre-loved school shoes. This was most common amongst reception-aged children (47 per cent), compared with an average of 42 per cent across the whole of primary school and 35 per cent in secondary school.

Fit expert Callum cautions over pre-loved footwear: “All children’s feet grow uniquely. The way a child walks, runs and balances is individual to them, and their shoes gradually mould to those exact movements. That’s why a pair that’s been worn by one child, even in the same size, often feels ‘not quite right’ the moment someone else puts them on.

“When you consider school shoes might be worn for more than 1,000 hours a year, if they don’t fit properly, children can start to change the way they walk without even realising it. Over time, these habits will be harder to correct as they grow and develop. In short, a well fitting shoe supports the foot, the posture and the natural walking pattern - it’s a small detail that makes a big difference to a child’s comfort and confidence every day.”

London primary school teacher Vanessa Huckerby sees the daily demands placed on children’s school shoes first-hand. She explains: “I see just how much wear and tear children’s school shoes go through every day. They need to be able to run around comfortably, whether they’re kicking a football in the playground or playing outside at breaktimes, because staying active is such a big part of their health and wellbeing.”

Fit check

With so many children heading back to school this September potentially wearing shoes that don’t fit, Start Rite is urging parents to prioritise proper measurement and in-store fit checks. For families who can’t get to a shop, Start-Rite provides a complete at home sizing solution, helping children to enjoy the benefits of properly fitted school shoes, from the first day back at school with their expert designed ‘check the fit’ guide, and partnership with digital measuring tool SizeWise.

ENDS

Editors Notes:

Press information: Contact George Morgan glm@vistapublicrelations.com, or Jane Pavia jap@vistapublicrelations.com, 07710 792 522
Visit Start-Rite Shoes Digital Newsroom for further information and to download images and assets.

Commercial details:
Shop Start-Rite's School Shoe collection for 2026.
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• Survey methodology: The survey was conducted by market research agency OnePoll on behalf of Start-Rite Shoes between 30th April to 7th May. The sample size comprised 2,000 parents of school-aged children (4 – 15 years) across the UK.

• According to the Children’s Foot Health Register, over £30 million is spent annually on chiropody services for the over 60s and most of these foot problems (around 70%) can be attributed to badly fitting shoes or unsuitable footwear in childhood.

• Source and estimates for number of children going back to school with wrongly fitting shoes: Total children at school in the UK: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-sta.... Total number divided by research finding of 61% of parents admit to buying shoes too big and 31% only use their thumb to check the fit.

• Start-Rite was invited to represent children’s shoe manufacturing at a recent Westminster roundtable where industry, and academic voices debated the long term implications of poorly fitted footwear. While more research is needed, the concern was clear: with high street visibility and foot health knowledge in decline, and reduced access to proper measuring, children may be at risk.

About Callum Linger, Brand Trainer, Start Rite Shoes: Callum Linger specialises in making technical fit guidance simple and meaningful for retailers and families alike. He leads Start Rite’s retailer training programme drawing in his extensive experience in retail education, product storytelling and footwear technologies.

About Karen Randell: Karen Randell BSc (Podiatry) is an experienced podiatrist and the Director and Co-Founder of Randell’s Footcare. Karen and her team have an expertise in lower limb sports medicine, preventative foot health, and biomechanics. Established in 2004, Randell's Footcare operates multiple podiatry and biomechanics clinics across Norwich and Norfolk, providing expert care for all issues affecting the feet and lower limbs, and is one of the most established podiatry practices in the country.

About Start-Rite: A British family business for eight generations, Start-Rite Shoes has helped children explore in comfort and confidence for over 230 years. Proudly specialist in little feet, Start-Rite shoes are carefully crafted to support every movement with stability. Its shoes are endorsed by podiatrists, and informed by the biomechanics of how uniquely children’s feet move, giving reassurance of knowing you can trust and totally depend on every pair.