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We note New Zealand school children wearing a range of footwear as well as no footwear at all. This is mostly seen in the state schools that do not have uniforms. Here climate is a factor. New Zealand has a mild climate that permits this. It never gets really cold, even on South Island. The schools do not have rules prohibting this as is now cimmon in Europe and America. In fact it is quite common for primary children to come to school barefoot. Many primary school children go to school barefoot in New Zealand. Most students, especially at the primary level come to school in black lace up shoes. Many schools have seasonal uniforms and black lace up shoes are common in the cooler months. Girls might wear strap shoes or closed toe sandals, but not the boys. Primary-age British boys often wore closed-toe brown "T" strap sandals, referred to as school sandals, for normal school wear. Some younger boys or girls wore redish-brown or blue sandals or double strap sandals. This style was never as popular in New Zealand, but was common until the 1960s. Currently such sandals are usually only worn by girls. Roman-style sandals with out socks are commonly worn by secondary schoolboys as part of the school uniform. At some schools contests are known to see who can continue the summer style of sandals and no knee socks the longest during the winter. One factor that has to be considered is the cost of footwear. In both New Zealand and Australia, consumer goods, including footwear tend to be more expensive than in America and Europe. Shoes can cost double what they cost in America.
We note New Zealand school children wearing a range of footwear as well as no footwear at all. This is mostly seen in the state primary schools that did not have required uniforms. Going barefoot was very common in New Zealand and still not an uncommon practice. Many primary school children still go to school barefoot in New Zealand. Most students, especially at the primary level come to school in black lace up shoes. Many schools have seasonal uniforms and black lace up shoes are common in the cooler months. Girls often wear strap shoes or closed toe sandals, but not the boys. Primary-age British boys often wore closed-toe brown "T" strap sandals, referred to as school sandals, for normal school wear. Some younger boys or girls wore redish-brown or blue sandals or double strap sandals. This style was never as popular in New Zealand, but was common until the 1960s. Currently such sandals are usually only worn by girls, except for a few children at private prep schools. Secondary school children do all wear some kind of footwear. As most secondary scgools have inifirms, there is perscribed unifiorm style. Roman-style sandals with out socks are commonly worn by secondary schoolboys as part of the summer uniform at many schools. As far as we can tell, this is primarily a boys' style. At some schools contests are known to see who can continue the summer style of sandals and no knee socks the longest during the winter. Large number of children at state primary schools wear sneakers, but most seciondary schools do niot permit them.
Climate is a factor affecting school uniform, including footwear. New Zealand has a temperate, but generally mild climate that affects climate. The north/south arrangement iod thectwo islands affects climate with North Island somewhat warmer than South Island. It never gets really cold, even on South Island. It does snow in New Zealand, but mostly in South Islands. The snow is rarely deep or last very long. The climate at the tip of North Island is semi-tropical. As a result, children can go barefoot much of the year and many children do so even at school.
New Zealand primary schools do not have rules prohibting this as is now cimmon in Europe and America. In fact it is quite common for primary children to come to school barefoot. The secondary schools generallybhave uniforms and rules setting out what what is wirn. Thus the secondary schools spell out gthe footwear to be worn. You do see the students going barefoot during lunch breal to play sports or during PE classes.
Many but not all of the schools with unifirms make seasonal adjustments for the students' comfort. Many primary schools do not have uniforms although this has begun to change somewhat. The Catholic schools and the private schools or exceptions and usually havevuniforms. Most secondary schools do have uniforms. And many make seaonal changes. This is especially true on South island. Footwear is one of the uniform items affected by the seasonal changes. Most schools require black lace-up shoes with knee socks during the cooler months as do private schools and Catholic schools. The shoes worn very a good deal. Many boys wear inexoensive shoes with thick rubber soles. Girls often wear strap shoes or sandals, these are commonly briwn. Others wear kace up shoes like the boys. This varies in part because of school rules. Roman sandals without hosiery are worn by both boys abnd girls during the summer terms. These rules vary from school to school. Not all schools have the children wear sandals, but many do. The Roman sandals are very common in the summer term, especially but not exclisively on North Island. Both boys and girls wear them. They go along with changes in shirts and pants, but the blazwers do not change.
The type of footwear worn at New Zealand schools depended on the type of school attended. The principal difference is between primary and secondary schools. And this is because most state primary schools did not require unifiornms while most secondary schools did. As a result, the children in pripary schools wore what ever footwear they abd their parents preferred. This commonly meant barefeet or sneakers, althouh we notice a lot of other choices including various types of shoes and sandals. This was somewhat affected by the seasons, although it never gets really cold in New Zealand. There were a few eceptions to this general pattern. Catholic schools and private schools adopted uniforms like the secondary schools. This meant commonly black lace up shoes for the boys. The girls might also wear black lace ups, but strap shoes and sandals were more common. During the summer term many uniform schools adopted open-toe sandals. Not all schools had the students wear these open-toe sandals, but they were very common.
One factor that has to be considered is the cost of footwear. In both New Zealand and Australia, consumer goods, including footwear tend to be more expensive than in America and Europe. Shies can cost double what they cost in America.
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