I see a lot of girls from this school wearing those little black ballet flats but I'm not buying a $10 pair of shoes for school only to have to buy several $10 pairs throughout the year when I can buy 1 good pair and have them last a year. Is that too 'mum' of me?

I don't think this school really cares about which shoes the kids wear as long as they are black. DS has never been in trouble for wearing his black runners. The girls wear leggings under their dresses too, so I really don't think the uniform policy is too strict. We'd have NEVER gotten away with anything like that! It was tights, stockings or nothing.