emilydrab

Yes thank you Renata, you helped me so much last year. I didn't get any of my top choices, but was offered Deptford Green. You told me to give it a chance, and I visited and was blown away! DG has ended up to be the most wonderful school I could have imagined. My son is in year 7 and absolutely LOVES it - it's so warm and friendly with fantastic, empowering teachers and a wonderfully engaged head. Very, very happy!!!! So a message to all you year 6 parents, don't worry too much about what the playground gossip tells you is the "best school" - go visit (and do visit Deptford Green)!

Freddy writes: Thank you for these lovely comments and for your support! I'm working on another character at the moment which should appear on YOUTUBE in less than a month. I'm so glad I made you laugh!

Thanks for all those lovely messages and views - my son is thrilled!!!!!xxx

First mate I remember your helpful comments when my dog Woody was attacked, you are a great edf correspondent and obviously a real authority on dogs. I totally agree with the idea of off and on lead areas in the park. It would be so great to walk in the park without fear. But sadly I don't think many dog owners would stick to it - even very reasonable seeming dog owners seem to let their dog off the lead in Japanese garden etc despite the notices, and I've never seen a warden tell anyone off for having their dog off the lead there so it's become just a sign for people to ignore.

Marie81 well all dogs are different, and glad to hear yours is under control when you are out. But dogs can and do attack children and babies and there's no reason to say a dog who is not trained and not under control definitely won't. In my dog's case when he was attacked he wasn't running, he wasn't chased, he was on a lead. The dog just came up and pounced on him. Obviously you know your dog and know he is trustworthy with children, but there's no reason to think this Blue dog would be the same. Anyway, my general point is that dogs who are aggressive and in the case of poor Morph have actually killed another dog, should not just be asked politely to wear a muzzle, it's time for more drastic police action.

I switched to Neighbourhood Vets a few weeks ago as my previous vets was in Norwood - too far without a car. I can't recommend them highly enough. Amber and Suzanne are absolutely lovely ladies and my dog has already had an operation performed by Amber. The operation went really well and I was really impressed by how Amber took the time to really explain exactly what she needed to do and how she'd do it. Plus lovely friendly receptionists to boot. They are obviously all passionate about animals - and that's the reason why they are vets (not in it for the money). Amber also put my dog on a diet and he's much more sprightly as a result - I suggest they branch out into a human weight watchers as a sideline (if only I could eat kibble... )

I take your point to some extent Huggers, but when you see a huge dog attacking a small dog and look at their faces while they do it, it's not about being hostile to another dog it's about prey. It's the same look dog's get when they are trying to get after squirrels - hungry, crazy for blood. It's terrifying. I seriously do believe a dog who attacks like this - and let's face it this Blue was not under threat by little Morph or behaving in a doggy competitive way - could easily attack a crawling baby as well. The dog and owner are not under any control. It could happen, and I don't think I'm being dramatic to suggest it.

Personally I preferred the pool when it was blue, shabby, full of old plasters and had whales and dolphins painted on it!! It's not even fun for kids anymore - check out my son's Fred's comedic take on the borderline insane lifeguards (who I have seen make children sob when they commit such crimes as getting in not using the stairs in a rafts and rascals session)!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPHsCvjVeMA

I am devastated to hear about poor little Morph and the vet's dog (I think that might be Amber's dog Hugo who is a lovely friendly little chap). It brings back horrible memories of what happened to my dog Woody two years ago, and anyone who sees me in the park will know I'm now a nervous wreck where other dogs are concerned (particularly big bull terrier types with a hungry look in their eyes) and stick to the outside of the park on our walks, or streetwalk. I feel so angry that so many walkers of dogs are too scared to go to the park - I'm one of them and stories like this show that I'm not paranoid not to have a relaxing walk. Dogs (particularly little ones who are more likely to be finished off by an attack) really are in danger. It's just devastating that people are allowed to get away with having vicious dogs who treat other dogs as prey. A muzzle just won't do it. That dog Blue should be put down and his owner prosecuted. This isn't two dogs having a little tiff - it's about a predator attacking its prey. Anyone who has witnessed this will realise how horrible this is, how terrifying. Another time and it will be a little toddler or a baby who gets attacked. The dog obviously has a record and if the owner was that devastated he would have done something about this long ago. As the PaulK says, only sorry he has been traced.

My son got so annoyed by the severe rules at East Dulwich pool that he wrote and performed this comedy sketch. Hope you enjoy!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPHsCvjVeMA please share with your friends!!!!!!

Just to fill anyone in on my news! Visited Deptford Green today (see posts above for backstory) and was utterly impressed by everything we saw. The head is brilliant, the school is vibrant, exciting things are happening everywhere you look, kids engaged, teachers passionate and funny. And this was in the crappy old building that's about to be demolished!! Come Sept all of this energy is going to be in a brand new gorgeous building, so I'm now so happy that's where my son is going. So everything seems to have worked out, I guess my point is to be open minded - schools people aren't shouting from the rooftops about (at this point in EAst Dulwich anyway!) can still be the place you want your child to be (although still think it's crazy that local kids aren't getting into Harris Boys if they want to...)

Brilliant news for Harris, but one downside is the school isn't serving local residents - at least not if they're in band one/top band!!! I live less than 10 minutes away walk away but my son didn't get in!! I know children from lower bands do get in from much further away but this year locals with band one kids were not necessarily so lucky = I guess because in the specific area around the school there are a lot of band one kids around. Was very upset when i found out, but since then have visited Deptford Green which we got into instead - hadn't visited before we applied as presumed we'd get Harris Boys as live so near. Anyway, my son and I were blown away by the pupils, the headteacher, all the teachers I met and the soon to be great building which opens this Sept. Such positive attitudes and a really exciting school means that now if we get offered places at schools I originally put further up the list we won't take them. Thank you Renata for suggesting I visit and give Deptford Green a chance!!!

Hello everyone - god a lot of tears have been shed over the last few days!!! It's a stressful time, and the system doesn't help. Crazy that we're encouraged to think we've got a choice really. May as well admit we just don't. I've managed to calm down a bit I want to take stock of the situation - I got a letter from Deptford Green and a DVD about the school. It actually looks amazing (remember I never actually visited it before, just bunged it down on my form for really no reason!!!). Could it be a Kingsdale in the making? What do people think? I know a promotional DVD will make the best of things, but looks like a lovely school, the headmaster seems so switched on - the curriculum looks great, the building looks futuristic (brand new ?32 million building) and really quite incredible, the website is buzzy and busy. I loved Kingsdale so much, but this feels similar. It's a mixed school (which is really my problem with Harrid ED) So, I realise I need to check it out properly - put all prejudice and the hype about "good" schools and "bad" schools to one side. Maybe this is fate, maybe, weirdly, this will be the perfect school for my son - just by a weird stroke of fate. So I'll report back what happens. Oh maybe I'll be home educating... watch this space!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to Renata for making such an effort to help everyone on this post, it is appreciated. EDF is so helpful!!! PS I phoned Southwark admissions and they told me they couldn't give me any info on what number my son was on in waiting lists until 16 March, and Harris boys ED didn't have it either. So Mrs TP my friend, how did you find out about what number you were? Do some schools have the list already?

Just wanted to share the next stage of my story. Thanks for your reply to me Renata. Now I've managed to calm down a bit I want to take stock of the situation (I got my sixth choice of school, Deptford Green - missing out on Harris ED and Kingsdale - even though live a couple of minutes from Harris). This morning I got a letter from Deptford Green and a DVD about the school. After you emailed last night Renata, I thought I must give the school proper chance. From the letter etc, It actually looks amazing (remember I never actually visited it before, just bunged it down on my form for really no reason.) could it be a Kingsdale in the making? What do people think? - looks like a lovely school, the headmaster seems so switched on - the curriculum looks great, the building looks futuristic and really quite incredible, the website is buzzy and busy. So, need to check it out properly - put all prejudice and the hype about "good" schools and "bad" schools to one side. Worked out the journey is only as bad as the one to Kingsdale for me. Maybe this is fate, maybe, weirdly, this will be the perfect school for my son - just by a weird stroke of fate. So I'll report back what happens.

Thanks for this info Renata. Can you tell me how I get on waiting lists for the schools I wanted? Can I be on multiple waiting lists? Do I have to accept the school I was offered to stay in the system even if I know I won't send my son there? Very upset about what's happened to me, didn't get my local school Harris ED even though live a ten min walk away.