brezzo

you could try studentroom.com

didnt go myself, but it has a great reputation

Disappointed to hear of the demise of Capstan Full Strength

Need to give thought to cost: Dulwich schools cost about ?18000 p.a., if you have two kids that's ?36,000 pa. before tax, you'd need to earn approx ?60,000 just to pay fees. Then there are the trips, kit uniform that you have to add on.

Over thirteen years of schooling you would be paying about ?230,000 per child. Don't know if you have a mortgage, but that's a lot of property.

Friends with children in private school reckon you need a family income of about ?200,000 pa to be comfortable with the fees.

Hope this is helpful.

depends on the quality of the secondary schools.Many private schools not as good as best state schools, you might want to look at exam results and do a couple of visits before deciding

Do you mean the one just off Herne Hill Road SEM? Awesome place with fantastic coffee, lovely staff and free newspapers (not always today"s edition). And comfortable seats

Hi katanita

I did a forty miler to Tudeley this morning (outside Tonbridge), but there isn't really a good way out of town.

You could go up College Rd and through Penge/Beckenham as I did today - not as grievous as Palace/Annerley but not any shorter. i find going early means less traffic, so an 8 am start on a Saturday is generally very good.

Or take a train - Denmark Hill to Otford is about 45 mins, but then again, you could cycle to West Wickham in that time.

Herne Hill and Denmark Hill have good views. Herne Hill is more houses, but Denmakr Hill has flats up by Wetherspoons pub (Fox on The Hill)

Er, a croissant is most definitely not a cake

I would advise her to. Do as many university open days/UCAS fairs as possible - these will be running after AS exams. Even visit places she doesn't fancy and investigate courses she isn't sure about

Not a toy, but an outdoor model of solar system here:

http://www.solarsystem.otford.info/

about fifty minutes on train from Denmark Hill

you could change trains in toulouse (?) and go down the coast to Collioure, Port Vendres or one of the other townd along the coast - lovely beaches, lots of art history and local buses cost one euro all journeys - even as far down as Spain

hard to beat a Wetherspoons steak

ludavis, you can just walk in on the day no problem. Nothing like millwall, but be careful not to bump into the seasoned drinkers who are able to carry four pints at a time!

Cora,

I would say that if a school doesn't have a decent sixth form, then it may not be somewhere you want your child to attend in the first place - even if they switch at end of Year 11.

Regarding the AS grade being a "D" for students to continue - this isn't usually about schools getting rid of weaker students but keeping them off courses that they have a good chance of failing. A2 studies are much harder than AS and data suggests that students getting "E" grades or below at AS, are very likely to fail the whole qualification.

Thanks for that one, still smiling

Over here in Herne Hill, I am wishing there was just an actual pub. One with football and no "gastro".

Orpington is 26 minutes away from Herne hill by train, an easier commute than taking a bus to Elephant.

I stand corrected LondonMix, will now have to say my children attend school in Herne Hill. Might also campaign for North Dulwich station to be renamed, Herne Hill East.

Don't overlook the mighty Rosendale. And I would say the charter is better than many private schools

Could you do a cycle/train commute?

LondonMix, the Charter's postcode is SE21 and its next to North Dulwich station. Definitely not Herne Hill which is SE24.

If I may speak on behalf of state school teachers:

We await your gifts with open arms. Prada is always nice.

Jimthebuilder, you can't judge current head on current results. He has been in post for a year and a bit, current results will be based on leadership of the old head.

As for staff leaving, welcome to London - people get promoted, move to better jobs, relocate to the 'burbs. We should expect staff turnover. I have worked in education for many years and it rarely happens that people leave because they "can't work with the new guy"

One - U2

Alice, what do you mean by "the Charter has previous on bad head decisions"? Data would suggest otherwise