prickle

Our kid's primary has clamped down on term time holiday as the head is v. keen on attendance and takes a dim view of absences. I think attendance is one of the ofsted criteria. ETA We are looking at flights for summer half term. About 1/3 dearer during half term week compared to week before. :(

Womanofdulwich; "Welcome to parent hood of school aged children. Bettter to self cater-stay in the uk and rent a cottage. Or take them out of school in term time." We found rental prices in the UK are usually more than abroad (although you don't have flight/ferry expenses). Having hols in term time is a no-no, particularly for secondary schools and you shouldn't bank on being able to do that on a regular basis!

Ouch! ?5,500! We have taken up camping (in France in the main) as a cost saving measure, and have to say really enjoy it now. I drew the line at sleeping on the floor for 2 weeks so invested ?5,500 on a trailer tent so whole family can sleep in comfort.

I notice that the discussion of some 'A' level results on this thread has been redacted.

Would recommend La Palma. One of the smaller islands. Definitely not tacky and not that touristy. Lots of volcanic mountains and banana plantations. Has a very Spanish feel. We went with a 3 year old and she had a great time. The only downside is that the beaches are not great and black (volcanic sand). But we stayed in a hotel with a lovely pool so we didn't miss it.

Yes another vote for the Herne (also near the Rye for a runaround)

My 10 year old loves clothes - she particularly loves Boden (but I'm too stingy to indulge her!) Does Boden do vouchers? As mail order, it wouldn't matter where she lives. If you are choosing, avoid anything pink or girly. For something dearer, she was thrilled with the camera she received for Christmas. Very grown up!

Eliza: "As a parent with 2 children at Kingsdale, I contacted the school having read this post. The information is completely untrue. The top grade achieved in the modular unit Physics exam was a grade A. I really do wonder if ydrmdy is an actual parent or not. Odd to be so misinformed if he or she does have a son at Kingsdale. The school isn't going to be responding to any further misinformation published, in line with its usual policy." Quite surprised that the school is prepared to reveal results to you so readily - they have only just come out.

Otta: "I think what some people may describe as "better" (and I am NOT talking about Saffron) is probably more accurately described as "white middle class twee"." :)) Yes, I think this often boils down to a lifestyle issue.

Saffron: "Interesting that people's main concerns are the benefits payments to the parent, and not the child's future. If moving for a better school, into a better environment, could lift the child into better life circumstances, then the advantage conferred to the child would be life long. This could mean that the child would be more likely to hold longterm full time employment as an adult and be less likely to seek governmental financial support as an adult." I think you make a major assumption that somehow schools outside London are better. Not so says Ofsted. Evening Standard Also, school is only a part of the picture. Family, stability, friends, money are all very important for a child. I moved house several times in my childhood. The loss of good friends (children don't really have the wherewithall to keep long distance friendships) and trauma of starting in new schools are things that stay with me still. As I said before grass *always* seems greener, the trick is to make the best of what we have here. And that is a lot.

Is this a serious question? House move, unemployment and possible poverty leading to possible debt to possible strains on relationships, new school, loss of friends ? I could go on ? all highly stressful for the child (not to mention the parent). How can you justify inflicting all that on your family for the *chance* of getting into the 'right' school. Likely as not such a good school will be over-subscribed in any case! Talk about thinking grass is greener ? only to discover too late that its not!!

"The catchment for Charter definately hasn't crossed Lordship Lane this year - and Heber kids living just over in roads like Melbourne Grove, Colwell Rd etc didn't get in either." Don't forget it's early days yet ? the catchment will grow in the shakedown.

Yes Goose Green is your nearest but also St John's. I know someone who goes to Charter from Ashbourne Grove.

Yes and nothing remotely 'junky' - biscuits, crisps, pizza and chocolate! Not got to the alcohol stage yet but thinking of getting a padlock for the cupboard! ;-)

"wow ?60 A WEEK- wait till you have teenagers- ..............." Yes that will just cover the biscuits! :))

I have a few friends with kids at Elm Green in Tulse Hill. They are really happy with it. Its coed and takes on distance. Also Dunraven has a good reputation, although west of the areas you mention.

Well we all have our interests. For instance, you look at my history, you will see that I have an interest in schools and education. If there is something that you are passionate about then clearly you will post on these topics. It *is* a conspiracy theory when you leap from that to the conclusion that the poster is posting with some other agenda in mind.

"This is something you bring up quite a lot, it's an easy slur to make - I think it's fairly easy to recognise a parent from the way they post. Debster99 has already mentioned that she doesn't live in East Dulwich. I expect, like me, she only pops into the EDF now & again to have a look at what people are saying about Kingsdale this week. " To be fair, this is a slur that has been made from both sides. Everyone has their own agenda and on this forum, you have to take it at face value. Not sure I like the increasingly personal angle this debate is taking ?

Metallic said "By the way you don't need a public meeting to talk to teachers, this matter is really ongoing, and when it is all over I would expect Southwark as a previous education authority, and whatever the new system running academies is called, to provide answers to all the concerns of ALL parties." KD is an academy and academies are outside of LA control. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but the next authority up from the headteacher and governors of KD is the secretary of state for education ie Mr Gove. Southwark is toothless when it comes to dealing with KD and other academies. Although Southwark is far from perfect, we should be worrying about possible abuse of the freedom that academies enjoy. From that point of view, I think that the debate we have on EDF is a good thing.

Metallic said "The mere fact that so much is unsubstantiated is a problem but it remains true, as far as I can see, that claims of public exams cheating have yet to be reported on by the exam boards, after 8 months, and that as the school has made no public statement whatsoever to confirm or deny this has been looked in to by them at least, they have created their own problem. A public statement by the Head and the Governors acknowledging this problem would have nipped the rumours in the bud. " I think this is the nub of the issue. The silence from the school and the attempts at gagging debate on this forum only feeds speculation and the feeling that they have something to hide. KD uses PR to promote itself ruthlessly but has failed to use it to deal with the negative stuff.

Totally agree with everything you said intexas. Also slightly puzzled why you have to be a parent at KD to have an opinion/interest. Ofsted report is in the public domain and it is in the community's interest that state-funded schools are as good as they can be.

Probably best to check with the school.

Quite right that you should be delighted that your child has got into KD. The school on the whole is very good and the ofsted report bears this out. But I raise my eyebrows at those parents who would rather see, hear or speak no evil of the school, as clearly there are and have been concerns. Also from what I have heard, it is some elements of the SLT that are related to the 'serious and substatial' issues raised.

Carbonara Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My friend was told that her child had been offered > a full sports scholarship for KD, but has now not > been offered a place. They have been offered a > place at a lower choice school. How can this > happen? Reassure your friend that her child is not the only one. From past practice, the school 'gives' scholarships to a large number of children, but only the top few are actually offered a place. Same for music.

Curmudgeon said "IME teachers complain - a helluva lot But I suppose this is one of those situations where we all read the available report and consider the glass half full or the glass half empty. Although perhaps there's no such thing as a half-empty glass - perhaps the other half is (hot) air big grin :))" Surprised that now your child will be attending the school that you are not more concerned! The school is not off the hook and the allegations are not just hot air. It is serious enough that ofsted are proposing to investigate sooner than later. I predict an exodus of those teachers who are not happy. If I had a child at the school, I will be putting pressure on the school to get to the bottom of this rather than just brush it under the carpet.