FionaC

I have stick on labels https://www.able-labels.co.uk/stick-on-name-labels/ so quick and easy to attach and never had any problems with them coming off. Clothes, bags, water bottles, random household items requested by school - everything get labelled!!

I couldn't find it online on Friday and the project manager was on leave. I'll chase it up next week because all the council consultations are supposed to go online here https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/ Cllr Fiona Colley Nunhead Ward

Plans are progressing for Peckham Rye Park to have a properly fantastic playground, a great new building for the Playroom and decent football changing rooms. If you're around tomorrow pop over to the Adventure Playground between 12-5pm to see the latest plans and give your views. http://www.peckhamryepark.org/new-events/2016/7/9/playground-consultation

I'm sorry if it seems unclear, coming on this forum was an attempt to be open about what is going on in terms of primary place planning in Nunhead. There certainly wasn't meant to be a "world of difference" between my post and the head's. We have a need for places in the area, we have a site for places in the area, we would like Ivydale to provide the places on the site. The council has had some initial discussions with the head and governors which have been positive. There will be further discussions between the school and the council in September. Most tangibly the council has agreed it will find the money needed to provide the additional places on the site. As Renata said in the opening post everything is at an early stage. I'm optimistic and actively seeking to do everything I can to ensure we get the extra places we need and to do it in a way that local parents are happy with.

James - Buggie has answered for me! We have a site we can use for very much need additional primary places right by an existing popular heavily oversubscribed community primary school. So the obvious thing to was to approach Ivydale to see if they were interested rather than seeking a new provider.

I really don't like to get into rows on internet forums, but James, I do wish you'd check your facts before posting a load of nonsense on here. In 2009/10 under the previous administration the plans for Bredinghurst (now Newlands) to have a new buildings on the other end of the site (on Rye Road) were well advanced and agreed (in PFI contracts!) and the remainder of the site was earmarked for disposal. Perhaps you are confusing Bredinghurst with Highshore or Tuke special schools. Since then the new buildings for Bredinghurst/Newlands have been built and the school has moved in, vacating the other half of the site. It is this vacant site that we are now proposing for the expansion of Ivydale School. We're not proposing to move Newlands, no multimillion pound buildings will be rebuilt, no public money has been wasted. At this stage the Head and governors have agreed in principle to the expansion of Ivydale and the head has written to parents. This will all be subject to much more detailed discussions, but with the end of term next week I don't expect this will get going till September. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Nunhead Ward Cabinet Member for Regeneration

As Renata has said the difficulty with trying to expand Hollydale is finding space to do it. In fact because of the limited space, a couple of years ago the school wanted to get smaller (from 1 1/2 forms of entry to 1 form of entry), but this wasn't possible given the high level of demand for places. The council will be continuing to speak to Hollydale's head and governors as we persue the primary investment strategy. Purely speculation, but perhaps the expansion of Ivydale would mean Hollydale could go down in size after all. I could certainly imagine that whilst some parents would prefer the "super school" 4FE Ivydale and others a more intimate 1 FE Hollydale - they'd be very different with different pros and cons. Anyway, we'll have to see what Hollydale's head and governors views are. Mae - on the timing of Ivydale's expansion, whilst the new buildings definitely won't be ready till Sept 16, we are going to be working closely with the school to see if there is any way to start the expansion for reception classes any earlier in '14 or '15 within the existing buildings and sites, but we'll have to see as I know the school is already very tight for space. NunheadMum - I'm also keen to work through the implications of the expansion of the Ivydale on the community feel of the school. It's one of the issues I'll be discussing with the Head when I meet her in September. My feeling is that there must be some creative way of making the split sites a virtue and creating a smaller school feel within what will be a large primary. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Nunhead Ward

Some further information about the proposed Ivydale expansion - here's the letter that's gone to parents. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Nunhead Ward Dear Parents and Carers, At last night?s governing body meeting, the local authority invited the school to consider its proposal to expand to become a four form entry school split over two sites ? the current school and the former Bredinghurst School site on Inverton Road. The local authority has initially proposed that this expansion would take place in September 2016. The governing body agreed in principle to enter discussions with the local authority. Expanding the school offers many exciting opportunities for all pupils, staff, parents and the local community. There is the potential to improve the learning environment as well as to offer the Ivydale experience to more local children. As you know, there has been a significant increase in the number of reception-aged pupils in the area, and this proposal would enable us to better serve their needs. The capital investment and greater amount of space would also enable us to create a truly inspirational school. The proposals are at very early stages, and there is much work to do over the next academic year to develop and agree what the new expanded school could look like. I would like to assure you that no formal commitments are being entered into at this stage ? I, with the governing body, have committed only to working with the local authority to develop proposals. These discussions will begin next term and will, in time involve parents, carers and the local community. I will of course keep you informed as they progress. Many thanks for your continued support. Sincerely, Helen Ingham Headteacher

The programme for the One O'Clock Club is on the Children's Centre website http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/100011/transport_and_streets/677/transport_events_and_news Not sure if they are open in half term (I fear they may not be) but you could give them a call - number on this page of the website http://www.ivydale.southwark.sch.uk/childrenscentre.asp

Elli - great see you at 9.30 Pippa - I did think it looked a bit too easy for some (quite enough for me though) Fiona

Is anyone up for going tomorrow? My back's feeling quite a lot better and I could really do with getting off the sofa or I'm going to pile on the weight between now the little one arriving!

Sorry I didn't make it today - suffering from back ache this week. Hopefully it'll get better and I'll be back next week, otherwise I'll see you after the little one has arrived!

Thanks for the useful feedback. I'll raise it with the senior staff and Cabinet member and let you know what they say. If the hours can't be changed (I'm conscious that we are v close to April now) would it make any more sense if the session that's mainly for older children was on an afternoon so the littler children's session could be Friday morning? Fiona

Just got an update from the Library Teams. From the beginning of April the new times will be... Baby and Toddlers and Baby Rhymetime Sessions Every Monday, Baby and Toddlers Session 2pm to 3pm Every Friday, Baby Rhymetime 11am to 11.30am Regards Fiona

Hi there I've been looking into this matter. Unfortunately the council is having to reduce the library opening hours from 1 April because of all the government funding cuts. Unlike many other councils Southwark is keeping all its libraries open (this is very good news for Nunhead as at one stage it was being suggested that 3 small/medium sized libraries including Nunhead could be closed), but unfortunately to save money we are having to reduce the opening hours. I think this is still a pretty good result overall as hopefully in time finances will improve and we'll be able to increase the hours again - if it had closed I think it would have been lost forever! The council has chosen to go with 2-7pm on most weekdays because the busiest time for Nunhead Library is after 3pm when many families visit after primary school. With regard to the baby and toddler sessions, I'm told these will continue, but are going to be rearranged for different time/day during the week. I'm waiting for confirmation of the new time. Kind regards Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Nunhead Ward

Goodness James! Did you get out of the wrong side of bed yesterday?;-) I'm afraid you don't quite understand the situation here. Actually the Ivydale scheme isn't a renovation scheme it's a major traffic calming scheme and I was in no way suggesting at community council that I didn't know about the proposals which had indeed been discussed at community council and which I had blogged about repeatedly. Indeed due to my interventions the plans were altered to include a zebra crossing by Ivydale Primary School and measures around Limesford Rd. The big problem with the scheme has been with the communications to residents about the final plans, the road closures and bus diversions. I wasn't consulted about the comms at all and had to spend a considerable amount of time in December after the works had started trying to extract full details from highways officers about the implementation plans and to get them to send clear and complete information out to residents in the area. Anyway it seems that the comms have been delegated to the contractor Conways and my conclusion was that on a scheme as large and complex as the Ivydale Rd/Linden Grove pinch point scheme that this isn't the best way to do things. Conways have done a good job with the repaving and resurfacing etc, but communications is clearly not their area of expertise. In contrast I've been impressed with the TfL/Lewisham communications with residents regarding the Kender Rd Triangle works (inc work on the Nunhead/Lewisham boundary of Pomeroy St) starting this month where there are proper plans being distributed and more information is available on the website. This level of spend on comms would of course be excessive for most traffic projects, but following my recent experience with Ivydale Rd I do think that the council needs to sharpen up its act. Hopefully the discussion we had at Community Council and the follow up questions will help to make this happen. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Labour Member for Nunhead Ward

Just wanted to let you all know that the draft Scrutiny report is now available on the council website. We'll be finalising it at our Scrutiny meeting next Monday. I hope we've covered all the key issues, if anyone wants to suggest any changes please post them here and I'll raise them at the meeting. After the report is agreed our recommendations will be considered by the Executive, most likely at the Executive meeting on 24 November. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee Labour Member for Nunhead Ward PS Gee, shucks - thank you Toast :)) toast Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > She and Fiona Colley rock.

I'm a bit reluctant to post now, because I think this forum is beginning to be dominated by politicians. But anyway... Coach Beth & Mrs Lotte - one of the really good things about the Scrutiny meeting was that Head of Bessemer Grange was at the meeting and so we heard first hand about this knock on effect where some schools have ended up with fewer children in their reception classes than they had planned for. That influenced me to think it would be best if the Council had schools on stand-by for bulge classes, but only actually decide if, and where, there should be bulge classes after the applications have been received and analysed. Laurie - I think you've rather missed Vikki's point, which was also raised by a number of parents at the meeting and certainly isn't something that is set down in law. Laurie wrote: "Another big talking point was the admissions criteria and how, after the sibling rule is applied first, the ?nearest school? priority sometimes gives unwanted outcomes. I can see how frustrating it would be that a late applying sibling could push an early applicant down the queue, but those are the rules that councils have to follow. VikkiM asks if there?s scope to change this - but it?s not a council procedure that can be changed; as we were told last night, it?s a law set by the national Govt." You seem to have conflated the issues of the late applying siblings (which I agree is outside the council's hands) and the distance rules. The issue Vikki was raising was that the way Southwark treats the distance rules is different to other nearby boroughs and could be working against some East Dulwich parents. Southwark Council splits the distance rule into two categories - firstly it allocates to those children for whom the school is their nearest community school and only after all of those children have been given places are any other children considered (by which time there may be no places left). Although this is a perfectly well intended rule (to encourage parents to apply to their nearest school), in the East Dulwich area it could mean that if parents were closest to say Heber, but because of the very small "catchment" they didn't get in to Heber they would then be disadvantaged when the Council was looking at applications to their second closest school. I've looked at some other boroughs' rules and they treat the distance rule rather differently so evidently these rules are not laid down by the government. I think if you also take the time to a look at these rules you'll have a better understanding of the point that's being made. Here are some links. Southwark (p22) Lewisham Croydon Greenwich Lewisham's is most similar to Southwark's, but seems to allow greater discretion to the admissions team, which I think could be really useful in Southwark. I hope that once you've had a chance to have a proper look at this that you'll agree with me that Southwark's rules could be improved. I don't think there was actually very much disagreement at the meeting between councillors or candidates from the different parties and I'm really hoping that we will be able to reach a consensus view across all the political parties on a final set of recommendations from Scrutiny - that would be by far the most constructive and effective outcome. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee Labour Member for Nunhead Ward

Thanks to everyone who came to the meeting last night. As well as councillors and council officers we had lots of parents and heads/governors from most of the local schools. It was a really good opportunity to ask questions, discuss and debate the issues and possible solutions. There were a couple of handouts at the meeting with further information and I'm going to ask for those to go onto the council website asap. I think Vikki's summary is pretty accurate. We came away with a lot of ideas for recommendations to make to the Executive and over the next couple of weeks I'll be working with our Scrutiny support officers and other members of the committee to get it all written up. I'll post something up when we've got a decent draft. For me it's clear that the fundamental question for the council to make is whether we are experiencing: a) a "baby boom" in the south of the borough - which would mean extra places are needed for the next 5 or so years, but then as those children grow up the demand for reception places would drop back again (and more secondary places will be needed!). OR b) an increase in the number of children being born and brought up in the area each year which would mean demand for reception places would continue at this new higher level. If it's the former then the bulge classes are the right way to go, if it's the latter then a new school is needed. The GLA Statisticians and council officers favour the baby boom theory and therefore the bulge classes - which importantly the education department says can be done by using spare rooms in various larger schools and without putting portacabins on playgrounds. Beyond 2015 (where we are talking about children who haven't even been conceived) it's all rather too much like gazing into a crystal ball for my liking - but with officers telling us it would take 5 - 7 yrs to get a new primary school planned, funded and built the bottom line is that the council's Executive Committee will have to decide if they believe the projections or if they have a different view. The councillors on the Scrutiny Committee thought it was crucial that before the Council's Executive takes a decision on this in late November they need to look really closely at exactly what information the projections are based on and what assumptions the statisticians have made. I'm planning to discuss this further with the Head of Education and the Leader of the Council to ensure this is happening. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Orchard - click here for the details of the meeting Smiler - it is a committee meeting, but there certainly will be public participation. Basically I want to allow as much participation as possible whilst also ensuring we get through the business and reach some conclusions by the end of the meeting. We will take brief deputations from parents and local cllrs at the beginning to tell the committee about their experiences this year, concerns for next yr and what they'd like to see happen (it would be best if the parents could agree on a couple of parents to speak on behalf of all as we only have max 3hrs and as each deputation tends to take 5 - 10mins if we have a lot of speakers we won't have much time left to hear from the officers, ask questions, debate the options etc). Then we'll hear from the officers and ask them questions - usually this is only questions from cllrs, but if my colleagues on the committee agree (which I think they will) I will allow some questions from the public too. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Labour Member for Nunhead Ward

Hi All The agenda for the Scrutiny meeting on Monday 12th is now up on the council website, including the report from the Education Department. I'm pressing officers to supply more detail on the crucial GLA school roll projections, most likely that would be at the meeting itself if at all. As I'm chairing the meeting I'm not going to make comments on the content of the report before then, but I will be reading this thread and I will also pick up question suggestions to put to the officers at the meeting. Agenda Report from Southwark's Education Department Hope to see you on 12th, Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee Labour Member for Nunhead Ward

Hi All Update on the scrutiny. Slight correction to my previous message - it will be my committee Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC), which is the top level scrutiny committee, which will be conducting the scrutiny on East Dulwich Primary Places. Children's Scrutiny Committee will be focusing on early years/nursery places. It looks like the meeting will be on 12 October (7pm start) and I have asked for it to be held in East Dulwich ? the officers in the scrutiny team are working on securing a suitable venue and I will post again when it's finalised. I'm meeting with Terry Parkin, the council's Head of Education, next week to discuss what information we need him to provide ahead of the meeting. At the meeting itself I hope that some parents will come and tell the Members about their experiences this year and concerns for next, then we will move on to questioning the council officers about what went wrong, why the council didn't forsee the problem, what they did this year and what the options are for short, medium and long term. Either at that meeting, or if necessary after a second meeting, we should be able to put forward some recommendations to go to the Executive at their meeting in late November. We've set this timetable to dovetail in with the work that Laurie was talking about which the Leader of the Council tells me will also come to the Executive in November. Fiona PS CT Wac - I love a good conspiracy theory, but the local elections are always on the 1st Thursday of May and that's definitely not changed. What I am going to check out is whether the council has altered the date on which the allocations are announced. Anyone know what date they came out this year?

Just posted this on the Facebook group and thought I would post here too Hi All As well as being a cllr for Nunhead, I'm also chair of the council's Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The scrutiny committees are made up of backbench cllrs of all parties and undertake investigations into issues (much like parliamentary select committees) then make recommendations to the Council's Executive (aka the cabinet). A few years back the Childrens Scrutiny Committee did a scrutiny of secondary school provision in East Dulwich & Nunhead (following the EDEN campaign) and the result was the new Harris Boys Academy which is currently being built. I think a scrutiny investigation would also be helpful on this issue. From following the various forums I can see that there are lot's of questions we need really clear answers to. For instance- - is this a one off bulge in population (seems unlikely to me), - is there scope for expanding any of the local schools, - where could a new school be built (I hope Homestall Rd isn't the only option as it's home to a great junior football club) and how could it be paid for - how long would it take to open a new primary (a few years at least I'd guess) and what happens in the meantime With a scrutiny all these questions would be put to the council officers and executive member at a public meeting and local parents would be able to have their say too. I've been discussing this with my colleagues, particularly the chair of Childrens Scrutiny (Cllr Barrie Hargrove) and I'm told that the Children's Scrutiny Committee will now be doing an investigation into Primary School Places in Southwark starting at their next meeting in early October. Barrie was working on the ?project scope? yesterday so I should find out more soon and will post again. Fiona Cllr Fiona Colley Labour Member for Nunhead Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee