When to Buy School Shoes: Back to School Timing Guide
Every parent asks themselves the same question at some point over the summer holidays. Do you buy school shoes now, while there is still plenty of choice, or do you wait until closer to term time in case your child has another growth spurt?
Get the timing right and you will have happy feet and a smooth first day back. Get it wrong and you could be searching for the right size in a picked over sale rail the night before term starts. Here is our full guide to when to buy school shoes, so you can shop with confidence this year.
When Do UK Schools Go Back?
The 2026/27 school year starts the week of 1st September 2026 for most of the UK. That said, plenty of schools use the first day or two as INSET days for staff, so pupils in some areas will not actually be back in the classroom until Wednesday 2 or Thursday 3 September.
Term dates are set locally by each school or local authority rather than centrally, so they can vary by region and even from one school to the next nearby. Always double check your own school's calendar before you commit to a buying date, but treat the last week of August as your realistic deadline either way.
The Best Time to Buy School Shoes
As a general rule, the sweet spot for buying school shoes is the last two to three weeks of August. Shop any earlier and you risk your child's feet growing before the first day of term. Leave it any later and you are competing with every other parent in the country for the same popular sizes and styles.
This is also when we release our newest patent styles for the season, so it is worth having a browse through our school shoes collection while there is still a full range to choose from. A few of this season's favourites are already proving popular, so we would recommend getting in early if any of these catch your daughter's eye.
Isabella comes in black patent with a removable charm bracelet featuring diamante butterflies and a slide off bow, so she gets two looks in one shoe. It has a hook and loop fastening for easy independent dressing and a textile lining for all day comfort, plus it comes with a free Lelli Kelly gift.
Sabrina is one of our most versatile styles this year, with an interchangeable strap that swaps between a plain look with Lelli Kelly embroidered detailing, a smart black bow, or a diamante framed heart that changes colour in the sunlight. It comes in Sabrina black patent and in a gorgeous navy blue patent, and it is one of the few styles we offer in three width fittings, including the standard F fitting and a roomier G fitting for a wider foot.
Taylor follows the same interchangeable strap idea but with a playful diamante dachshund charm for something a little different, again in a smart black patent with a sturdy sole unit built to last the term.
Selena brings a decorated butterfly charm to the strap, which slides off easily and swaps for a large bow when she fancies a change. It is available in Selena black patent and in our standard F fitting for a true, comfortable fit.
How Often Do Kids' Feet Grow?
Children's feet grow at very different rates depending on age, so it is worth measuring more often than you might think. General shoe fitting guidance suggests checking foot size roughly every two to three months for toddlers, every three to four months for younger schoolchildren, and every four to six months for older children and teenagers. Growth naturally slows down as children get older, but it rarely stops completely until well into the teenage years, so a shoe that fits perfectly at Easter may already be tight by September.
Measuring at home is quick and easy with the right guidance. Our how to measure toddlers and childrens feet page walks you through it step by step, and our sizing guide will help you convert that measurement into the right UK or EU size.
Why Buying Too Early (or Too Late) Can Backfire
Buying in June or earlier can feel sensible, but a lot can happen to a child's foot in the six or seven weeks before term starts, especially during a summer full of running around barefoot on holiday. Shoes bought too early can end up pinched at the toes by the time September arrives.
On the other hand, waiting until the very last week of August means you are shopping from whatever is left. This is where fittings matter. Most of our school shoes come in three width options, E for a narrow foot, F as our standard fit, and G for a wider foot, and the E and G fittings naturally have a smaller range of sizes and styles to begin with. If your daughter needs a wide fit, like our Sabrina in G fitting, it pays to shop a little earlier than everyone else, since wider ranges sell through faster than our standard fit styles.
The same principle applies at the other end of the age range. In our guide to school shoes for older girls, we found that the secondary school sizes are a much smaller part of our overall range than younger sizes, so those styles and sizes tend to sell out earliest of all. Whatever age your child is, the rule holds true. If you know you need a less common size or fitting, do not leave it to the last minute.
How to Get the Best Price on School Shoes
The good news is that getting a great price does not have to mean waiting for a single big sale event. Our sale collection runs on a rolling basis throughout the year rather than one fixed back to school date, with up to 60% off selected styles at any given time. That means shopping earlier in your buying window can actually get you the best of both worlds, a wider choice of sizes and fittings, plus the chance of a discounted price on top.
If you are buying shoes alongside the rest of the uniform list and want to spread the cost, take a look at Lelli Kelly Klarna for flexible payment options.
A Month by Month Back to School Shoe Checklist
Here is a simple timeline to keep you on track.
Early June to July. Measure your child's feet using our measuring guide, and make a note of both the length and the fitting they usually need.
July to early August. Start browsing the school shoes collection and the sale collection while there is still a full range of sizes and styles. This is the ideal window to buy if your child needs an E or G fitting, or if you have your eye on a specific style like Isabella, Sabrina, Taylor or Selena.
Mid to late August. Do a final fit check before term starts. Feet can change quickly over summer, so it is worth trying shoes on again even if you bought them a few weeks earlier, and giving them a short wear around the house to break them in gently.
The week before term. Give shoes a final clean and polish so she starts the new school year looking her best. Our guide to cleaning Lelli Kelly shoes and boots has everything you need.
For more inspiration on this year's styles, our best girls school shoes 2026 guide and our roundup of the newest styles of school shoes are both worth a read, and if narrow feet are a factor for your family, our narrow fit school shoes guide covers everything you need to know.
FAQs
What is the best month to buy school shoes?
For most UK families, mid June to late August is the best time to buy. It is close enough to term that your child's feet should not have grown much further, but early enough that you still have a full choice of sizes, fittings and styles to choose from.
How do I know if my child needs a new shoe size?
The clearest signs are shoes that feel tight across the toes, redness or marks on the foot after wearing them, or your child mentioning that their shoes feel snug or uncomfortable. As a general habit, measuring every few months through the school year is the easiest way to stay ahead of a growth spurt rather than waiting for these signs to appear.
Should I buy school shoes in the sale or wait for new stock?
You do not need to choose one or the other. Our sale collection runs continuously alongside our full price range, so it is worth checking both when you shop. Buying earlier in your window gives you the best chance of finding your size in either.