inglesa68

Msgee Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > my 6 yo daughter, visiting Kingsdale on an open > evening with her brother referred to it as "one > sick school"! Morning! Had to comment on the 'sick' thing. Thats so funny and really makes me feel old and out of touch! LOL x x

Msgee Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Inglesa- think I already posted on another of > your threads that Kingsdale definitely don't have > a catchment area as they're in the most affluent > part of the borough and it wouldn't be fair...they > take kids from Lambeth Lewisham and (I think) > Bromley, as well as Southwark...do double check > with them though, they're very helpful. Hi sorry - i know they dont, should have said it was when i asked the agent sometime ago. I know that they dont, I have checked with both Kingsdale and the charter, as I said. I was just replying to someones posting about estate agents making up catchment areas.

When I asked a long standing east dulwich agent the catchment areas for kingsdale and charter they said they didnt know! We spoke to the Charter last week who said they dont have a catchment as such, just the closer to the school, the better.

Hi there It wasnt a kingsdale charter debate i wanted but just more of a view of charter from parents of children there. So anyone with any views on that i would more than welcome them x

Hi Minder I have done that but if you look within those threads there still seems to be very little on the Charter School unless i am missing something? x

Thanks everyone for your replies, for some reason i didnt receive any notification of replies - still a little new to this! Think its basically a case starting to visit the schools in each area and see how we get on. Its hard when you have to decide where you are going to live in relation to which school you want, but then first you have to decide which school you want! This forum is very helpful though, and quite happy that i found it. regards

Hello all After starting a few threads re Kingsdale and Charter, there seems to be a lot of response regarding Kingsdale, which is mainly positive, but very little about the Charter School. Anyone have any first-hand feedback - good or bad about the school? Thanx!

Curly Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That's interesting you mention bullying because a > friend's child who started at Kingsdale last year > told me her son had experienced less social > problems than his primary friends who had gone to > other schools. I like the fact each year group > have their own playground and their own toilets. Hi Curly Do your children go to Kingsdale, or intend on going?

Hi Nhewitt There seems to be a lot of returnees this and next year, maybe we should start our own group! I think we will go for Kingsdale first choice, charter 2nd choice and keep our fingers crossed as well. My husband is off to visit both in October, I will be going in November. Obviously you have already gone through the process, visits, interviews, choices etc, can you tell me what you found? And can you tell me abit more about the bullying as that seems to be the only negative thing people are mentioning re Kingsdale? Our children will hopefully be starting in 2010, is your daughter starting this year? If so good luck and best wishes for her x

Hi Everyone Was wondering if could tell me where the catchment areas are for The Charter School and also that i am right that Kingsdale School does not have one? Also does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of Elm Wood Primary, Elm Green secondary and Rosendale School? Thanks for now x

I would get one now and then you could use it or not use it as you wish. We had one, (borrowed) and slept on the sofa as well but its amazing how quickly a baby learns to roll....so be aware of that. If you intend to have other babies you will get good use of it. As for being with you all day and evening for the first 6-8 weeks, I dont think thats essential. I have some friends who put baby in their own room at night from day one, mine all slept in my bed til they were 5-6 months! Lovely! Do whatever you feel to do but always make sure wherever you put baby down, he/she is safe and has no danger of falling, etc and that you can hear them should they wake up. And I know its tempting but yes, put that baby down :)) You'll be glad in the long run. Wish it was me starting all over again! (i think...)

Hi applecore - have sent you a pm.

Hi James Can I ask if you are only looking at the privates?;-) Would you have gone for Charter or Kingsdale even if they were in your catchment? It interests me as my husband would like to try the privates but i am steering clear at the moment. Where are Dunstans and the other one (sorry, lost the reply!) x

Hi toast! Just found this link on FB. Wondering why you have created it as a normal page instead of a Group page. This means that if you join the group you are in effect giving perfect strangers access to your own page. Would be happy to join a group page x

Hi James Its not just about the results for us, even though of course they are one of most important things we are looking for in a school. Its about the complete picture, ie, racial mix, social mix, headteacher's ethos, academic results etc. Hopefully, most parents are intelligent enough to look at the Ofsted results and get some sort of picture of how the school is performing, and then 'use' them to assist them in their choice, which is what we intend to do. I dont know anything about Haberdasher's and have never heard of Monson but will Google it now. Just had a quick look but cant seem to find a proper website? Its in SE14 - dont even know where that is! lol. Any info re Monson welcomed but not about the Haberdasher/Monson debate as thats completely lost on me at the moment.

thats funny as i was just searching for that page this morning but i cant find it! Any suggestions? Will have another go now x

marcos Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi! > > The best way, which my son, ex Goodrich, currently > year seven at Kingsdale, uses, is get the 363 from > Forest hill Road Stop. > Then, get off either opposite the Dulwich Wood > House, and descend Flash Hill, through Sydendam > Hill Station, and then through the Kingswood > Estate. > Or, get off the next stop opposite Rock Hill and > descend through Kingswood Estate, takes about five > to ten minutes. > He's come up with various other (sometimes > convoluted ) bus routes, which today included > coming home on the P4 and then the 176. > Early on he came back on the 3, changed at Crystal > palace and then took the 363 from there. > The P13 does get crowded, and a lot of kids now > cycle through Dulwich Park, which doesn't seem to > take too long. > He's often home before my other two kids who are > still at Goodrich! > > Happy to answer any other Kingsdale related > questions! Hi Marcos I know its been a long time but just wondering how you and your son have found Kingsdale since he has been going there. Pros and Cons? Also can I ask your opinion of Goodrich school as well. There are a lot of opinions running through the threads but always good to have first hand information. Thanks

Canning Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Welcome back to the UK! I am not a parent but I am > a teacher, please be cautious in using OFSTED > reports, at best they only give an out of date > snap shot of a school, at worst they are very > misleading. Schools, both primary and secondary > change very quickly. Don't forget that by joining > a school your child/children become part of a > dynamic process.Visit any school you are > considering but bear in mind in some schools staff > turnover can be rapid and this affects the > character of the school greatly. If it makes you > feel any better schools are not as important as > people think, in my opinion, students spend a lot > of time not in school and already arrive even in > primary school with a huge amount of knowledge and > a set of values learnt from home. By the way > private schools have problems too, but they are > not usually academic ones. Incidently I live in > Telegraph Hill and I think it is great that > Haberdashers is linked to Monson, local schools > for local kids. Thanks Canning, more valuable information to help us in our quest!! Interesting what you say about Ofsteds because if you cant trust them what can you trust? Can you tell me when the next reports are due? I am also of the opinion that schools are not the most important thing with regard to our children's overall 'life education', whereas my other half leans more towards the fact that they are, especially private ones. Think he would gladly send them to Alleyns without a second thought, though i am slowly turning him around! Would prefer more of a social/racial mix for our children, and perhaps more of an 'all-round' experience than they may get at Alleyns. Perhaps Im being stupid? My eldest one is not so academic and wants to be an actor so interested in looking at Kingsdale for him. Not sure he would pass the Alleyns exam. The other two are more by the way of all rounders. Gosh, who would know all of this would become so difficult when you start out having babies!! I would also like to be in Dulwich as not originally from there but loved it when we lived there and still have friends there. Regards x x

Hi All Thanks for the replies. Staying in Spain is not an option, my husband works in the City and has been commuting for what will be five years. Plus i feel we have 'done our time' here and would like to get back to some real life and culture - its hard to explain until you've lived here. I will miss it terribly but looking forward to being back. I think we will probably go for Kingsdale or Charter catchment areas and see how we get on. This will make it hard for junior and primary choices but you cant have everything can you? We may look at Alleyns but resisting that at the moment. Would be interesting to know how many parents would send their children there if they had the option but think thats probably a new topic to start. Kingsdale and Charter do seem to have good ofsteds and find many more positive things said about them in the topics than negative. Going to set about visiting them all and see how we get on...

Haberdashers most oversubscribed state school in the country?? Why is this? and when i left no-one wanted their kids to go to Goodrich or Heber (does this still exist as very little mention of it?? lol) Everyone wanted either Dulwich Hamlet or Dulwich Village basically, or nothing. Anyone got any views (good or bad) on Kingsdale or Charter? It would seem that if you cant afford or dont want to send your child to a fee paying school in the Dulwich area then you are in trouble! Thanks for the replies x

Morning All Was thinking of returning to dulwich/ed after 5 years of living in Spain. But after reading through some of the topics on schools i am genuinely scared!! Would i be out of my mind to return and expect to get a good school/bad school, or even any school for our what will be then 4/8/10 year old children? Please could someone enlighten me of the current conditions with first hand knowledge of the schools in the area, ie goodrich, hamlet, village, charter, bessemer, haberdashers? bye for now A very worried me

Hi there Been out of East Dulwich since 2001 but hoping to return by end of 2010! looking forward to it! where is the hootananny as sounds just right for husband and me for a reggae night out, especially as he is a complete and utter roddigan nutter!! Love this topic and already sitting here singing after looking up some of the youtube suggestions. Louisa Marks takes me back, remember seeing her in a club in leicester when i was 18 and was so amazed, for me she is the Queen of Reggae. Ciao for now x x Goodliz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ???? Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > More dancehall....but i still love this guy > > > > ....Barrington Levy- Here I Come > > > > > > > Thanks for this link ???? it is a long time since > I listened to this and never had the pleasure of > viewing this retro video. One of my favourite > reggae tracks and takes me back. The clothes are > fab. The girl dancing behind the screen looks so > tame compared to the videos now. > > The Hootananny does regular reggae nights. Due to > having young kiddies it is something I have to > give a miss unless it is very now and again. We > went to see Aswad there (do not sound very cool > compared to some of the artists previously > mentioned but the really have not lost it). They > opened with Warrior Charge and everyone went mad - > it made the long wait for them to come on worth > it! > > Also love the Cool Ruler, Gregory Issacs. Have not > heard anything for a while from him just the > occassional thing on Vibes FM. This station is > great for reggae of all genres. Handily located > next to Radio 4 - yes, I am an old fogey now. > > Someone mentioned Lucky Dube, I have his album but > have not listened to it for years as I no longer > have a record player. I can remember it being good > though. > > Yes, I also agree that Bob Marley and The Wailers > cannot go unmentioned.