BeccaL

Thanks for the info re nodal points - as someone who lives in one of the school black holes that's really interesting. I thought the meeting was really useful and they had a clear focus on setting up a good comprehensive school, which I think is great. Unfortunately I had to leave before questions (daughter needed to go to bed!) but thought it was useful to get a feel for the federation - they seemed very focused on education as a priority.

Fit for Sport at Dulwich College?http://www.fitforsport.co.uk/venues/dulwich-college/

If she hasn't seen Matilda, definitely worth trying to get tickets for that - even right at the back of the theatre the view is pretty good (as it's a small theatre) and tickets are about ?25 each. If you and she went together, could prob manage an evening show which is likely to have much better availability than matinees.

50p, but that's definitely lower than the tooth fairy pays most of her friends!

Tricky to combine your kids and her interests with the age gap - boat trip down the river - maybe to Greenwich? Trip on London Eye - good for little ones too. Kind of depends what she is interested in/likes doing. Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green might be good for all if she isn't too grown up for it!

Also this book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Night-York-World-Books/dp/0977797937/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1401443034&sr=1-1&keywords=good+night+new+york+city) is lovely - they have them for loads of American cities and a really nice way to get used to what you're going to see. Have a great time!

Daughter and her cousins have been known to sit and watch videos on Youtube of other people playing Minecraft - can't think of anything more boring myself!

Polmoche - sorry to take so long to reply - we've got a Hotpoint. Welcome to come and look if you'd like - PM me! Becca

Colleague at work went camping last weekend and ended up on an emergency mission to Asda to buy cheap duvets the next day as they were all freezing at night, so much so that kids wouldn't/didn't sleep... Hope it goes well!

Just had one installed and just starting to use it - seems as quick as gas (though haven't had a gas hob for about 7 years!) - welcome to come and have a look if you like - PM me if interested!

thanks - done.

Any other feedback on this - also considering leaving DMC and would welcome comments on this surgery.

If the differences between the surveys are almost indistinguishable why have two, or are you trying to get two different groups of responses? Happy to take the survey but would like to understand the differences between the two...

I remember the shock when I was called an "elderly primigravida" (first time mother) when I had my daughter - I was 31!! (and this was only 9 years ago!!)

Here's the details http://www.pilatesclub.co.uk/ - hope this helps. Classes at 7pm (beginners) or 8.05pm (intermediate)

Hi James Thanks for this - is it necessary to register on the Haberdashers' site if one has already registered with the New Secondary School campaign website? Becca

There's a new bakery in Herne Hill on Norwood Road - Brixton Cakes I think - they certainly do novelty cakes.

Went for a couple of years a few years ago - daughter aged 4-5ish I think. Quite expensive but great fun - if you're there early (ish) you can get a lot for your money. DM if you want more details.

See thread in Family room - I'd go via M4/M5 (which will take you past the M25 junction but not onto it) rather than M3/A303 because the 303 route is very long and slow, especially the further you get into Devon. M4/5 is more miles but generally quicker roads (with exception of M5 on a Saturday morning)...

It usually takes about 1.5 hours from ED to the beginning of the M4 on a Friday after school - not sure if this weekend will be much worse as people off for Easter might be more likely to be off second week to take advantage of the bank holidays? Depending on where in Devon you're going - if you're going South I'd probably try and suck it up and go Friday evening - we did to Exeter a couple of times last year and going v early on a Saturday morning (leaving by 6.30am) we still got stuck in tonnes of traffic on the M5 southbound from Bristol for about 40 miles - not much fun, and that wasn't with any kids in the car! Hope the roads are good for you...

As the parent of a child who will start secondary school in 2016, what I'd really like is the same admissions policies for all schools, but I appreciate that is unlikely. Having some which select on lottery, some which select on distance, some which combine both and others make it very difficult to judget the likelihood of getting into a particular school.

Friends went somewhere out there last year and found real problems getting into restaurants in the evenings - not many so were all booked ahead - so much that it ruined her holiday really as she had to do much more cooking than she had anticipated, and the supermarket wasn't particularly close, so spent a lot of time driving to/from to get food. Worth flagging up...

There's a pilates class on Barry road at 8.05pm on Wednesdays - let me know if you want details...

there's a thread here http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1279627 with some options

Agree with Trish - very few are long enough to take into account the commuting - extended hours on AVP runs 8.30-5, and that's with paying for 2 hours extra on top of the "standard" hours. We try and share lifts with friends who also have kids going, but otherwise have to rely on goodwill of work to be able to take/collect daughter...