akc74

I would really recommend Catherine from Nimble Arts - she did a Star Wars party for us last summer - she came and did about an hour's entertainment (along the Jedi training lines) and then we did tea and a few games...

And just as an update...we've also now added Oddbins East Dulwich as a new pick up point.

I work at Farmdrop and happy to answer any questions about it, but i know this is not the place for a big sales pitch!

If you search for us you'll find an offer for forumites if you want to give it a try...there is a home delivery option OR you can pick up from the Actress or the Rye (and a few other places)

Another option on the scene now is Farmdrop (let me be transparent immediately - I work there!) I used to work at A&C so am very familiar with both options.

At Farmdrop, we do sell fruit and veg bundles from some of our suppliers, but you can also just choose the fruit and veg that you really want so there's no risk of unwanted things. Then we sell meat, fish, dairy and amazing bread also - and all chilled goods are put in special chill bags with ice packs (A&C use woolcool boxes which do the same job).

We do free home delivery in 2-hr slots in the evenings (Wed-Fri, and Sunday). Most box schemes deliver at unspecific times and on set days of the week, so it's a little less flexible and you need to be happy having it left outside somewhere.

At Farmdrop we also have a few pick up points so people can pick up on the way home from work (round here the Actress, the Rye....)

We try and source as locally as possible - we have a good number of suppliers in London. As we grow, we plan to open new hubs each with their local suppliers so we'll always continue to support the smaller farmers.

There's an offer for EDF users if you search in the trades section - I know this isn't really the place for it...!

We usually go M4/M5 and are travelling to North Cornwall near Newquay (esp works if early as getting to M4 no probs early-ish) - this summer we left about 7.30am and had brekkie at Fleet as we were going to Hants en route this time.

We have recently been given an NT membership and we've enjoyed stops at both Dyrham Park (on way back - 3hrs drive, nice big break then 2 more hours drive) very nr M4 around Bath, and also Tyntesfield beyond Bristol off the M5. Also hear Killerton House nr Exeter is a good one, but we always want to make a bigger start than that (on way back) or push on through if we're nearly there on the way down. I am not sure how expensive these places are to visit for non-members...!

Also very interested in hearing of successful job share stories - and if anyone is looking for someone to do a jobshare with (particularly with a marketing focus) I would also be interested to hear about it! There seems to be so little interesting part-time work out there. Nearly everyone I know who works part-time had negotiated it with an existing employer.

Good luck Sarah in making it work - great that your employer is open to it.

Steve is an important contact in my phone - came round to fix my Hoover washing machine a few days ago - he's always quick to fit you in when he can sense it's a crisis and has always managed to fix whatever problem I've had....Wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.

I was so disappointed to hear this news. I shared everyone's shock and concern when it was first made clear what had happened, and I am so glad that the little one in question was OK.

But I hoped we could move forward and it would get sorted after all the necessary investigations. As some posters have said there are some GREAT staff there and I'm very upset for them and for my son, that this has happened so suddenly. I am not sure how I am going to explain this to my son who is nearly 4 - he is off to school in September so there was not long left but he has made some good friendships there, and I feel saddened that those friendships will be impacted by this. I am in the fortunate position that I'm not working currently but some fellow parents are going to have a real childcare crisis to deal with, which in this area is going to be really challenging.

I an not sure if OFSTED would have shut them down regardless, or if the media attention was the final straw - if so, then it is a shame that the media became involved.

This is very interesting, as a mother of a boy born late June 2010.

My hunch is that my son will be ready for Reception by September, given it still has quite a heavy emphasis on play. He loves his 2 days at nursery - I'm sure he will be exhausted at first but I hope otherwise will settle OK.

I am slightly concerned by Kes's point - there seems to be quite a momentum here, but surely there has to be an arbitrary cut-off point, as must be impossible to manage and plan for without? Especially in heavily populated areas like ours.

If maximum flexibility was offered, would lots of competitive parents suddenly want to delay their child's start to maximise the chances of them being among the most able in the class? (as Kes says, just moving the potential disadvantage along a bit)

Thanks for all your comments and feedback so far.

So based on the general consensus, I think I am going to get specific, as offline some people have suggested I would jeopardise my second choice, given the emphasis on fulfilling as many first choices as possible. The schools may not know, but the council do and they want to get a high % into their first choice.

So - if I put Goose Green first (about 600m) and St. John's & St. Clement's 2nd (about 300m), if Goose Green cannot offer a place, I am still in with a chance of St. John's? Potentially over someone who puts it first but lives slightly further?

As my husband keeps reminding me, could very easily not get either - esp given St. John's church places.

At the risk of sounding thick I would be grateful for clarification re the following scenarios, from anyone who has the whole primary school thing totally sussed.

I apply for school A and school B, as my first and second choices, respectively. I live nearer school B. Am I jeopardising my chance of getting into school B, by putting school A (marginally further away and pretty popular) first?

Another thing I wanted to clarify, on the tour at Bessemer (neither of the schools in mind in the scenario above) we were told: "If you want to come here you really need to put us first". If, though, schools do not see the order of preference that we put, this shouldn't be the case? i.e. If you put Bessemer second, and your first school didn't have a place for you, if you lived NEARER to Bessemer than someone else putting it first, would you get the place or would they? Or is it just not that simple?!

Thanks in advance for any clarification - I thought it was all pretty straightforward but a couple of comments from people have confused me!

This tool is slightly frustrating (but is the one that is consistently recommended) - if you live on a long road, your postcode just narrows it down to the houses on your side of the street. So when you put a postcode into this mapping tool, it just picks a point on the middle of our road, which is quite long and we live right at the end.

Can anyone enlighten me as to how to use it more accurately?!

My youngest who had just started to drop his morning nap and sleep nearer to 7am, has now been waking at 5.45 - 6am since moving into his brother's room last week. (Apologies to those for whom a 5.45 - 6am is start isn't bad - I has got used to my 7am starts) So now a very short morning nap is required again - which feels like a hard cycle to break!

Anyone have any experience of this? Please tell me the little one will get used to it and start sleeping later...?!

I contacted them to ask and was told the furthest place offered this year (excluding siblings and church places) was 721m away.

I guess a "Satisfactory" Ofsted, the non-faith alternatives and the rather stiff local competition just down the road, means it hasn't quite hit the 200m catchments you hear about, although obviously this can vary greatly from year to year.

Thanks for all the suggestions - have really enjoyed looking at all the options.

I have just ordered some Vivo Barefoot shoes online - they sound great.

My son (nearly 3) is running around in his Converse (given as a gift) and the nice lady at the ED Warehouse very convincingly pointed out to me today how unsupportive they are - his arches appear to be pretty flat and he's getting very little support.

I know she has a good range, and of course I'm aware of Clarks and Start-Rite, but anyone got any other shoe brands to recommend? I am a total sucker for Camper, but obviously these are pricey and a bit of a dangerous habit - so interested in other suggestions to look at?

Hopefully Converse or Vans every now and then are OK?!

Thanks.

Anyone one know the furthest distance for St.John's this year, just out of interest?

I also recommend Odette at Dulwich Therapy Rooms

Have pm'd you - I think I have what you need!

Thanks all - plenty of ideas to play with.

Most notably, no one has said that they've never had a problem with the car park - glad it wasn't just me!

Just a quick one (a very dull thread, I apologise) - but can anyone confirm or deny whether my limited experience of driving to Kings is typical?

I have had at least a 45 min wait to get into the car park on the couple of occasions I've driven there.

But I don't fancy braving the bus with a Phil & Ted's - half the time there isn't space anyway.

I think the answer is to park up the hill a bit, and walk down. Always managed to avoid taking both small ones previously.

Thanks in advance.

Thank you all so far - interesting, and always reassuring to hear from people with similar issues.

I think he genuinely does just get frustrated - it is usually prompted by someone getting in his space, or taking one of his toys etc but i also can see that it is attention-seeking. I may try to continue doing what I'm doing (time out on the step) but only as a last resort as you don't want to feel like you're CONSTANTLY telling off. Plus if I follow Sarah's advice and make less of a fuss and don't talk too much about it, I can see how that may help too.

I know this is very common but is it just a phase that I have to ride out, or can I manage it better?!

My 2.3 year old boy (largely due to arrival of sibling 3 months ago I believe) has started hitting and lashing out at both his friends, and strangers at playgroups. He has been hitting his little brother too, although I had thought that had started to improve.

I try to ensure he gets plenty of attention as I know how unsettling a new sibling can be. When he does it I try to be consistent with my response. Tell him clearly and calmly (increasingly I have been getting pretty cross lately though) that this is not acceptable etc. I have also been putting him on the step, if we are at home or at someone else's house.

He goes to nursery 2 mornings a week and I was told this morning he is really good and they haven't witnessed this issue - though it then happened right there in front of us, just as I was being told how good he is.

Any tips welcome or if anyone remembers any previous threads on the topic that would be useful. It's getting to the stage where I slightly dread going out, but I crave the adult company on playdates and don't want to become a hermit!

I was just about to start a similar thread - your little one seems very little to me...I have been trying to contain mine as long as possible. However, he is certainly starting to outgrow his travel cots when we go and stay with relatives.

He is 27 months and he hasn't yet scaled the sides but it doesn't feel too far off.

I am slightly dreading it as I have heard many horror stories of repeated getting out of bed in the night etc etc - but would be good to hear any positive experiences too (if I'm not hijacking the thread - assume it's of interest mrs f?!)

Anyone know the opening times?