Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy

Andystar I heard that it was a Care Home for the Elderly until the owner realised that there was more profit to be made in cramming refugees there and promptly kicked the residents out with 1 months notice.

Yeah, I've lived pretty close to Barry House for 7yrs and the behaviour of the refugees has always been perfect. People seem to think that just because they often hang around then they must be "up to something", whereas the real reason that they congregate outside is because it is marginally less boring than sitting in a featureless bedsit by yourself (contrary to popular belief, refugees aren't immediately given a Sky HD + package). Tiger Ranks, you are aware that refugees are not allowed to work as soon as they enter the country, that they have to be processed first?

Well traditionally they don't, and if they did, you would have to question the legitimacy of exams that put 92% of pupils (nationwide) up for A-levels. That kind of comment kind of sums up what I meant earlier about selective schools doing a disservice to community schools. The fact that Forest Hill Boys only achieves a 50% pass mark is because the teachers are shite, same with Charter, and lets not even go to the Peckham Academy.........

Didn't read Huggers post but as Curly has said it's a good school and I'm sure your kid will do very well there. I would never criticise anybody for sending their children to Haberdashes, my issue is with the fact that the old grammar school system seems to be sneaking back in through the lack of regulations applied to academies, foundations schools, faith schools etc. If they were more open about it I wouldn't mind so much, but by hiding the fact they are selective they do other "community" schools a great disservice beacause, in today's results driven climate, they have a huge advantage. You just cannot get a 90% pass mark if you have an equal distribution of academic ability amongst the children. Silk purses etc

Well I've been told that most schools that do their own independent test have various ways of getting around the "equally" part. For example, rigging it so that the top 7 bands apply to kids who get over say a 70% pass rate in the test. You can still have 20 kids in each band that way (so it is divided equally) but only the last 2 bands are at risk of including kids who aren't that academic. It a bit too much of a coincidence that the schools with independent tests seem to average about around 90%+ 5 A-C's whereas the best of the rest average around 50%. Its also strange that Haberdashers only brought in these tests when it was forced to be seen as more inclusive and the results began to drop, the tests soon sorted out that though. The taking over of a primary school instead of opening up to the wider community as a whole is just cynical beyond belief, schools such as Haberdashers have completely lost sight of the fact that they are meant to serve the local population.

I heard it was being re-branded as Le Ch?teau. That would be really cool.

Quite, they'll be falling on their own knives.

Sean There is extreme disadvantage in almost every identifiable community but there is only one demographic where knife crime is spiralling out of control.

I know the underlying issues are more complicated but I just find it difficult to have much sympathy for teenagers who stab each other with just the slightest provocation (normally in packs to guarantee they don't get hurt), self-esteem problems or not. I also find blaming everyone else except those within these blighted communities probably not conducive to solving the problem, which is increasingly becoming cultural.

On the plus side, Somerfield was nice and quiet yesterday evening.

I'm a recent convert to the Castle and have designated it as my British and Irish Lions pub. It could do with a slight spruce up though. Anyone who argues that it isn't "blue collar" hasn't been in there with their eyes open. Referring to something as blue collar isn't an insult.

Quite, if we're not careful we will end up getting prosciutted by the Pun Police.

I'm certain that we'll all be cured in the end.

Brendan Are you suggesting that we shouldn't be able to shoot people for trespassing? Your type make me wanna puke, I'm literally angry with rage just thinking about you bleeding-heart liberals! Broken Britain etc etc

Don't the protesters basically own RBS? They may as well be breaking their own windows.

It wasn't changed to The British and Irish Lions until 2001, thats where the "eh" came from. The British Lions one isn't so difficult, Declan should know, he captained Ireland to their only Grand Slam.

Eh? Mick, they have to be difficult or people will just google them.

Who captained the first post-WW2 British Lions Tour?

Ireland

The book was rubbish.

Update on the incident.

Yep Declan, Genoa CFC

No but they started off as a cricket club.

The other ones definitely right. Which Italian football club is the only one still has its original name of Cricket and Football Club?

a) Finlay Calder b) To prevent any chance of the 6 they needed for victory, the Aussies bowled the last ball underarm, along the floor.