BB100

prickle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Debi > > You said on another thread that 'I wouldn't say > that I have influence at the school, any more than > any other parent.' > > However? you have a direct line to a member of the > senior management team at Kingsdale after 9 in the > evening - that sounds like a LOT of influence! > As Debi says, parents can more or less contact Kingsdale staff at any time of day or night. I don't think they ever go to sleep.

Rumour mill? I have a child at Kingsdale who is quite explicit about the behaviour of some of the children at the top of the school not being the same as the rest of the school. Unfortunately a few will always spoil it for the rest. And when I first toured the school the staff mentioned how their intake had changed and was getting better each year so I don't think I'm out of turn saying this. It's more worrying though that a community police officer would make something like this up!! It's something Kingsdale needs to challenge with Harris, because the benefits of a 'rumour mill' means these things don't continue to travel around like chinese whispers.

They wouldn't get away with it in school either as Kingsdale have CCTV. However I'm not sure how this information is helpful to many parents who are anxious about their children starting secondary school. Harris Boys has it's theives too just like every school.

Children like choices and offering a choice can make your child feel more in control of the situation. For example, ask: are you going to dress yourself or should I? Are you wearing the red top or the blue top? When getting undressed for the bath: are you having bubbles or no bubbles? When you leave somewhere, are you going to ride the scooter (or get in the buggy) or walk? Having a snack ready for when you leave may also help. If he can't decide say: quick if you don't decide then I will. Try to offer only two choices that you can live with, whatever he decides. Your child is not too young to talk about how his behaviour is making you feel. At a calm time tell him that it upsets you and he is not to do it anymore. Tell him what you expect him to do and remind him of it before he has do it and give him lots of praise when he does it without a fuss. Tell him whilst you give direct eye contact so he knows you mean business.

This is all very good advice Renata but maybe it should go in its own thread for the attention of year 5 parents. Some of the grammars are having their open days starting in June so Year 5 parents need to get organised now and may not be reading this thread.

Well I would assume that they are diluted by being spread across many schools rather than lumped in one place.

Dunamis2011 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Was just reading some posts re Harris boys school. > What is this about older Kingsdale boys mugging > them? You have to remember that the older boys at Kingsdale are the old cohort, the last of the problem kids the school was at one time heavily populated with.

ladywotlunches Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > but I too > like the sound of strictness in a school. Well the first cohort of parents did too when they heard the discipline measures at their first meeting prior to the school starting. They clapped. But when their kids started they didn't like their own kids being told off which I think is indicative of parents in general today.

It might help if you ask Kingsdale if you can have a tour of the school during lesson times becuase it's not all hype. They are very accommodating like that. http://www.education.gov.uk/performancetables/schools_10/pregionH.shtml This link might also help to get the results into perspective. Kingsdale is catching up with the likes of Askes and Prendergast and Kingsdale's value-added score is miles better.

intexasatthe moment Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >> They don't seem able to treat children as > individuals . Kingsdale does. But if Michael Gove gets his way and inducts retired military personnel into schools (which he is planning to do) then we'll have more schools like this.

Yeah, the banding is same as Aske's - they divide all entrants into 9 ability groups. Someone on one of the threads posted a link ages ago which suggested this is fairer than the 3 groupings that most schools use but I'm not sure how. The Head (a Scot) went to Grammar school and seems to be trying to give a grammar experience. He has already turned around one failing school. He said he's aiming for a 100% GCSE pass rate otherwise he will see it as a personal failure. I've been trying to think of other stuff the parents I know have told me, like they have industrial teaching kitchens to train boys as chefs and year 8s have already cooked for some elderly people in the community and they plan to offer trade skills like bricklaying on top of the academic stuff. http://dulwichonview.org.uk/2010/02/05/harris-boys-academy-east-dulwich/ This link, that could seem lke propaganda, I'm assured by a Harris Boys parent is actually a very accurate picture of the school.

yummumbums Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > yes we have just been offered a place here any > views from parents with pupils in the school would > be greatly appreciated. It was our last choice as > i didn't warm to the headmaster and didn't like > the minimal outdoor space and the chanting of > latin before each lesson!!! I would like to hear > all the positive things!!! All the (middle-class) parents I know with children at the school are very happy with it, apart from one that moved theirs after the first day. I'm sure they will split the lunches to cope with the limited outdoor space and they do have an indoor gym, and seem to use outdoor space creatively such as providing basketball, table football and table tennis. They have a two week timetable which seems to cram in a great variety of subjects and the extra long days include enrichment which is compulsory. Enrichment includes the extra sport and fun things like cooking, debating, etc. However enrichment can be suspended if children fall behind in their lessons to give extra coaching in that subject. The school trips have been exciting such as sailing, orienteering, theatre to see STOMP and have been free to parents. The issue with the school so far has not been the quality of education (and there's some brill teachers, esp. maths, english, science, PE, dance, drama) but with the strict discipline which they call 'traditionl standards'. Children are given detention for very minor offences (e.g. standing up at the wrong time) and there are specific requirements for uniform that are not overlooked. Tie has to reach the waist, shirt has to buttoned to the top, only Harris branded bag to be used, only Harris hat to be worn, etc (they don't want their kids walking the streets looking like thugs). Hair must be at least number 2 long and on the first day when they started any boy that turned up with it any shorter was in detention until it grew back. If children don't do their homework they they will find themselves in compulsory homework clubs. The boys do complain about how strict it is - it's a big shock after primary - but they do seem to get used to it and love all the exciting stuff they get to do. For admission there's no gimmicks, schlorships, 10% selections, etc, just distance from school, period.

Msgee Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > as for Kingsdale spouting propaganda- I think that > most of the positive KD stuff comes from parents. > I'm not aware of the school publicising itself- > not like the Harris Academies, for example Oh yes Kingsdale does publicise itself to the extent that Lewisham LA have banned them from advertising in Lewisham schools. Lewisham are on the hop becuase Lewisham parents are going elsewhere. I know someone was complaining on here about the 'stealing' of able children but I think it's about time Lewisham schools up their game.

At Harris schools you get progress reports every mid-term and the child has personal targets to reach each term and for the end of the year so it's really easy to see where your child is doing well or not. This is really useful as I've been able to raise issues quickly rather than waiting until the end of the year. Harris schools are very target driven but at least you and your child know where you are and where your going.

Hi Chrism, Sorry to hear about how you feel about your child's school experience but welcome to the world of Secondary schools. I have children at different secondary schools and have found they seem to behave more or less the same. Another parent on this forum was recently complaining about the same issues with Charter. I have found e-mailing schools when I have a problem useful as then I have a record of my complaint but it sounds like you need to make an appointment.

Your baby's best toy is you and the more you play with her the more she will learn. For your treasure basket you could add wooden pegs, rolled up socks, shiny paper, brushes, combs, wooden spoons, etc.

Queenie23 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Kingsdale turned the school around by appealing to > the middle classes Hello. But if you don't have a range of abilities in your school then how are you going to get them?

Fuschia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > BB100 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > >> The money comes from renting out the Pod and > hall > > at the weekends. The BBC used it last year to > film > > Question Time. The Head also earns money from > > architects and engineering students visiting > his > > award-winning building who come on a regular > > basis. > > WEll, all of that IS part of the school budget. > But a school is at liberty to provide additional > tuition if it wants to and can afford it I was making the point that the money is not being pinced from other parts of the budget

Curmudgeon Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My understanding of the Kingsdale music, sport and > maths scholarship is that they are a salve to the > middle classes - they have no bearing on whether a > child is offered a place but if they are offered a > place then the child gets one to one tutoring to > the value of about 1K > > the money is not extra to the school budget but is > assigned to those children who qualify - I would > really like to see transparency on this element to > be honest - where is the money coming from, which > area is getting a little less for them to be able > to concentrate resources on a few over the many? Me and my mates (sic) who are not middle class, our kids get free music and sports lessons at primary and learned maths in school classrooms and we like got scholarships. The money comes from renting out the Pod and hall at the weekends. The BBC used it last year to film Question Time. The Head also earns money from architects and engineering students visiting his award-winning building who come on a regular basis. As regards why the Head went to Lewisham to recruit children is because, I expect, he wanted to fill all his bands and have a mixed ability school and not be one that just takes rejects from everywhere else. Oh, and all the Lewisham residents I know that applied for Kingsdale this year were only offered Lewisham schools.

Dorothy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is what is so difficult to get one's head > round with Kingsdale. > > How can it get away with being a selective > school? > > It is a *state* non-grammar, school. > > So how come it is able to select a part of its > intake like this? As mentioned previously, it's not a matter of 'getting away with it', it was more a case of 'having to' at the time. But it obviously doesn't need to anymore.

I got second choice but I'm elated as it's just as good as the 1st choice I put down - and it's not around here!

Peckhamgatecrasher You definately won't get in dressed as Jeanette Krankie - strict rules on uniform apply and you'll get detention if your tie doesn't meet your waist.

It's thanks to Lewisham residents that Kingsdale has increased its popularity. It was the Head's lateral thinking that sent him off to Lewisham to create a demand, when he couldn't fill his school with the locals. Empty places means having to take in children when they are excluded from other schools. And Maxti I've lost count of how many Southwark residents that take places at Askes, Chelwood, Fairlawn, Turnham, and the once-upon-a-time popular Kender primary from Lewisham residents. It's swings and roundabouts on that arguement but you're right the school system isn't fair. Harris Crystal Palace seem to have got the right formula where they have random allocation but it's within specific catchment areas. 90% is in an inner band and 10% on an outer band. That does sound fairer.

Who said kids worrying about being late was a negative? They run a very tight ship and they drum it into them right from the start that they can't be late. http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/download/(id)/128319/(as)/135816_361501.pdf There's a recent Ofsted report you can read.

Probably. There didn't seem the same problems getting our darlings into primary for the 1999/2000 birth cohort as there was in the few years prior or post. Was just trying to give them some hope Fuschia!