Anna M

I recommend Perform, but it's not cheap either... It's an hour lesson in the week, or one and a half at the weekend, in various places. They put a lot of emphasis on child development, rather than soley on the show, which I rather like. They work on a new show each term which is broken down into classes focussing on different areas. My son is now 8 and adores it.

Hello - I'm thinking of football for my five year old too - what time is the Athenlay session, please, PeckhamNicola?

Just to say my sons both go to this - and they love it. It's such a great, friendly, family club. Groups are split by age - my littlest son, 5, has just started and was jumping with excitement to go back this week. Lots of running around and team fun. And results in happy, exhausted, pink-cheeked kids just in time for Sunday lunch!

Hello My kids were in Perform - a different venue, but same company. They did regular classes on a Saturday rather than the short course, but I thought you might like to hear an opinion as it's very similar. It's a bit expensive but it's SUCH a good class. They have very solid core structure to the classes, which work on building confidence and empathy, teamwork and physical coordination. They were super both for my uber-confident exuberant son, as well as for my son who shied away from public speaking. They manage to bring all the kids together and all of them seemed to just adore it. My kids kept asking when they could go back all week, they had so much fun. I haven't done the shorter courses but the way they get the kids to put a whole play together is so super, I am confident they'd be great too.

Marble run was a total hit and still is. From 3-adult!

We use Fiete Math - it's maths where you have to load a boat with the right number of blocks by chopping blocks apart or adding them together. Nice problem solving with lots of different levels so my four-year old plays and my seven-year old too (still enjoys it a little even though it's a bit young for him!). The graphics are sweet and it's quite simple and satisfying.

Welcome to the area - some roads are more trick or treaty than others but yes - lots of people play! And I second the advice about the decorations - the unwritten rule is that you tell your children to only knock at doors where there are decorations up - pumpkins and so on, as those people are playing. Have fun! There are lots of little kids going around - and it's fun to see what decorations different houses have up too.

Superhero training? Do different stations with superhero skills. Give them each a card or a piece of paper with skills listed, and use stamp or stickers to reward each skill completed. Then reward with small superhero party favour at the end. Skill stations could include - fast dressup in costume (for quick change in a superhero emergency); timed obstacle course for speed, etc. FUN!!

She is registered, yes. Will send you a pm.

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Hello! My son is also going to go to St Francesca Cabrini school, and my elder son is already there. We had a welcome picnic on Friday - I'm sorry I didn't know about you before or you could have come! It's strange you were told that, as the school does in fact have an after-school club - only until 5-45pm, though. I'm not sure if Reception children can go at first, until they have settled in. My two sons are picked up by a childminder. She might have space for more if you would like me to give you her details or ask her for you? She charges ?8 an hour, and lives in Shelbury Road near Peckham Rye Park - she's lovely and takes the kids to the park and has a nice garden to play in and so on. Also my son who is going into Reception would be there - perhaps your son would like that? Best wishes in finding a good option anwyay! Anna

This is brilliant!

I love the loo roll game idea, bawdy-nan!! Might have to steal that one for our next party. I wonder if we could do an Egyptian themed one...

Hello We have always had parties at home with simple, traditional party games adapted to whatever theme we wanted, and the kids enjoy it so much. I have to admit, I always avoid having noticeable winners and losers as that can be stressful and cause tears in younger children. I don't like doing pass the parcel for that reason (unless you hide a little present in each layer, which goes down well but is quite a lot of work!). Musical statues (you get a mini prize or a sweet if you have to go out and the last one in gets a prize that's a tiny bit bigger), treasure hunt in the garden or house to begin with (lets off a bit of excited energy by running around) but brief them to find one thing and bring it back so you don't have anyone missing out, pin-the-tail-on-the-whatever (or badge on the paw patrol puppy, or tiara on the princess, etc), dancing game where they all dance and you hold up pictures of animals they have to dance like, then you reward the best ones with a sweet each time (but obviously make sure you keep track and award everyone a sweet for being the best at different times!), keepy-uppy with balloons, and so on. Two hours is a good length. Fewer than ten children is good. Party tea in the last hour, cake at the end! Kids tend to have party bags to go home with nowadays - a balloon, a few sweets and stickers or something small. Add cake into that or eat it at the party as you choose. Have fun!

Do you eat fish? I have included some fish options - but they generally could be done without. Nice rice - rice with strips of omelette and any veg going mixed in - served with soy sauce Coconut rice - similar to above but with prawns not omelette, and coconut milk mixed in, no soy sauce. Kind of a reduced version of a Thai Green Curry. Sometimes I use the faintest smear of Thai Green Curry paste... Kedgeree (can you see a rice-with-stuff theme developing here...?) - fish, boiled egg, veg, rice, curry powder, chilli for grown-ups DIY kebabs - veg, halloumi, prawns, chunks of meat or not, so people can choose different stuff. Grilled and served with any sauce. Any-flavour pancake bites - pancakes mixed quite thickly (less milk) with various things in (grated cheese or bits of ham or grated fruit for pudding) so they can fry in the pan like drop scones. Served warm with butter. Potato cakes - mashed potato with veg and cheese, or fish, mixed with an egg, dusted with flour and fried as patties. (If I'm feeling elaborate I'll do the whole breadcrumb coating thing with flour/egg/breadcrumbs...) Dismantled Tuna Nicoise - olives, green beans, boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, salad, anchovies, bread on the side - everyone helps themselves to the parts they like.

St Antony's is supposed to be a very good school - have neighbours whose children go there and they rate it highly. My children go to St Francesca Cabrini and I would recommend it. It's a good school with high expectations of the children in terms of behaviour and work and lovely grounds.

Nutritious, varied enough that they don't get too stuck in a eating-only-what-they-already-know-they-like rut, (and varied so that they aren't constantly eating only wheat, for example), appealing to adults and kids, or dismantlable so adults can add the adult version and the kids aren't being made a separate meal (chilli, or salsa, or sauce that's suspicious to children) - sometimes we eat dismantled dishes, such as salad nicoise, but all in parts, so each person can help themselves to their own version of the dish and can try new parts in an unpressurised way. Often, at the moment, I am cooking something familiar but adding new elements to constantly push the boundaries of what they deem acceptable!

Hello there My little boy is at the nursery currently, and he is going to go to school there from September. My eldest son is at the school, but didn't go to the nursery (we were given the school on distance allocation for non-Catholics) so we didn't have any experience of the nursery before following on with my youngest. We put my youngest into nursery having been very pleased with the school so far. The nursery is lovely and my youngest son has been very happy there. They are fine with settling slowly or however it needs to happen for the child. And they have a routine on coming in, which helps the child settle - after hanging up their coat, they pick their name tag off a table and go and hang it on a board full of numbers and pictures (they choose any they like). Then they have carpet time first, with a little interactive chat about the weather (someone gets to hang the weather picture on the day's date) and counting numbers of children who are there and so on. After this, they are shown pictures of all the activities they can choose from, and each child chooses what they want to start with. They aren't restricted by their choice (they could go and start something else if they liked! and change when they like) but it helps to give a sort of starting point/entry point and focus which I found really clever and positive. They have free flow outside and do lots of nice activities - story-related artwork and baking, and so on. Ms Guthrie, the head nursery teacher, really seems to know her stuff. When my son started the numbers of children built up very slowly and that was invaluable as he wasn't confident in a large group of peers, so it enabled him to feel comfortable in a larger class. I'm really happy all round with his experience at the nursery. A note on the school - they don't have such a settling in period. They start the new children who haven't been to the nursery gradually in stages, but they just go straight in for the full day. My eldest son (who is quite an extrovert) was fine with this, as i think were most of the other school newbies, but I'm happy my younger son went to the nursery as it was a softer start for him. Yeknomyeknom - you are quite right that there isn't a big EDF presence by parents of kids at the school. Not sure why that is exactly. Not sure even if it's indicative of anything, particularly! I know when I was wondering what the school was like, I was desperate for some inside info, though, so if anyone wants to message me then I'm very happy to answer! I was thinking of organising a Francesca Cabrini school starter's picnic over the summer, to allow some school starters to get to know their class mates. I'll invite my son's nursery classmates too, and you are welcome to come along if you like! Anna

Hello! We did. We aren't Catholic either but got a place for our older child on distance a few years ago. We now have a place starting in September for our younger one. Would be very happy to meet up for a playdate over the summer! Anna

Hello Nothing technical to add, just to say my four-year old says 'lellow' too and confuses instances of 'f' and 'th', or 'th' and 'v' and so on - I noticed my older child did this too until they started phonics in reception (he even used to say 'cam I?' instead of 'can I?' until then. At the point where they were focussing on sounds and how you make them, he seemed to realise that certain letters or phonemes were pronounced a certain way and it ironed itself out.

Cakes in Space - i have just read it with my six-year old son and his little brother listened too until he dozed off every night. The amount of text on the page varies a lot, it's heavily illustrated (almost if not every double page) it's a space adventure with a girl protagonist, kooky, lively and very funny.

I love this!

Hello I have sleeping bags to donate if still required and if someone can take them. I'll keep an eye about where to take them. thanks for organising!

Hello Milly I had the same worry when my son started in the school two years ago, but found he settled quickly and it was a lovely class environment. We also didn't have any luck meeting up with people from his prospective class beforehand but I hope you do! There didn't seem to be a lot of Cabrini parents who are this website. My son will be going into year two in September, so perhaps no good for a playdate (although I'd be happy to meet if you like) and his brother is going into nursery, we hope. (We haven't heard for sure.) Another mum was trying to pair up my youngest with a boy starting in reception though - if that wasn't your son, then I could try to hook you up with them?! Anna

I second the comment that I am happy with lessons there, if that helps. Happier than I was with those in Peckham Pulse -- they seem to relate to my child more as an individual and he is progressing more obviously at Dulwich pool. Changing rooms ARE hellish crowded at popular lesson times, but I'm not sure if that's better elsewhere. Often there's a cleaner cleaning the changing rooms during the crowded times (which i imagine are protracted) to try to keep it clean - so there's effort being made there.