tomskip

Hi, we're all set for a holiday in Southern Germany at the start of August, but we need a hotel in Munich for the last night of our stay. We're a family of four with children 11 and 14 and would ideally like a reasonably-priced hotel in the centre of the city which is perhaps a little more "authentic" than the usual chains. Does anyone have any suggestions or better still, personal recommendations?! Thanks for your help. Tom

I thought the issue of The Charter School excluding children from the Dog Kennel Hill area was all sorted out in 2012?

It is definitely a problem. No filter there at 6pm tonight and traffic backed up all the way to Friern Road because not enough cars can get through on the right hand turn. And yes, of course, the lack of a pedestrian crossing anywhere at all at that junction is a disgrace! I was driving a car full of children to an after school activity along Dulwich Common, which they would be quite capable of getting to on foot if only that junction weren't so dangerous for pedestrians. Have reported to TFL.

I do go at different times, yes. Usually before 10am though. But I think that setting needs to be changed because there has not been a gap in the traffic coming down to allow cars to turn right at all in recent weeks. Its dangerous. Much like turning right from East Dulwich Road onto Peckham Rye, unless that has been changed now?

I turn right at this junction fairly regularly and have noticed that the green phase specifically for the right hand (turning) lane has disappeared. So cars go forward when the lights are green, waiting either for a decent gap in the traffic coming down from Forest Hill towards Lordship Lane, or for the chance to turn on the right hand filter light. But recently that right hand filter light has not come on and the lights just go straight back to red again, meaning that several cars are turning right on the red light. It has happened every time I've been there in the last 10 days or so. Anyone else noticed, or am I missing something?

I imagine people might be angry because the site of the new school, if it will prioritise admissions on distance and siblings, doesn't make for a good outcome for those parts of East Dulwich most in need of secondary school places. At the same time it will give two choices for those who happen to live near both schools. As has been repeated again and again, the site of the school is incidental as there was no other site. But that's just what I imagine ... I would be interested to hear more from those present.

Yes, living in London is the nuts, but getting out for the occasional weekend getaway is a pita. But, actually, steveo's post reminds me than you can skirt up past Earls Court via Wandsworth Bridge, Fulham Broadway and then up on North End Road. The turning right for Wandsworth Bridge is before the really slow part of Wandsworth, so might try that next time.

Hmm those timings on the AA route planners make me laugh. I regularly drive to Kew via Putney and East Sheen and it has never taken me less than 45 minutes, no matter what time of day or night.

I don't know how to do this without getting on to the Embankment (usually via the bridge just past Battersea Dogs & Cats home, can't remember which one that is) and then sitting in traffic from Chelsea, through Earls Court and left on to the A4 at the end there. This took me 1hr 15 minutes on Saturday morning, nearly all of the delay was from Cheyne Walk onwards. Is there a quicker way? Thanks.

I think the main opposition to the development in Dulwich Village is to do with the basement excavations, which will be truly disruptive, require constant removals of huge loads of earth, noisy and time consuming. And, really, we are desperately short of affordable housing in London, not luxury houses like those proposed by SG Smith.

"It does, but it doesn't diminish the fact that high achieving kids have bags of choice...." What bags of choice would that be? No one has bags of choice in this area, which is what makes the 6 choices on the application form such a pointless waste of time. I can't speak for other schools but band 1A was the most oversubscribed band by miles at Forest Hill Boys this year.

Thanks juliap. Have read it now and see that it applies from 2016 onwards. I can't quite see how distance only, vs distance + banding disadvantages East Dulwich children but that's just something lacking in my brain and can't be helped!

Is there anywhere I can read online about the Lewisham schools change to admissions policy? My son did not get a place at Forest Hill Boys, although he did sit the banding test and his "rejection" letter gave details of number of applicants and number of places in each band. How does switching to distance only prejudice people in East Dulwich for Sydenham and FHB? I just assumed we live too far away now.

I don't have children who will go to this school but perhaps others at the consultation will want to ask how the new Charter proposes to handle the issue of families renting temporarily in catchment to secure a place for a first child and then moving away to Sydenham or Nunhead or wherever, and all other siblings getting an automatic place thereafter. Having sibling priority does not in itself ensure that a school remains "local".

(At the time) is not the same as anticipating the need for more secondary school places in the immediate future, and planning accordingly. As it is we have families in ED breathing a huge sigh of relief about the new co-ed school, when it doesn't even have a temporary site yet but it supposed to welcome 240 pupils just over a year from now.

All the so-called catchments are shrinking as the number of children moving up to secondary school is rising. The new secondary is very much needed in East Dulwich - such a shame it couldn't have been ready a couple of years earlier! All the data was there to indicate the need.

Yes hoona, I am fully aware of all that. My comment about fairness was meant to be ironic. There's much to be said for state funded schools being kept under LA control in my opinion. Just been reading a thread about the new Charter school which appears to be being creative with its proposed admissions policy too. I never was a cynical person until I became full immersed in the school admissions process!

Renata Hamvas Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Monkey, > It has, after the usual priority allocation, 1/3 > of remaining places will be allocated on distance > (but only up to 1km), the remaining 2/3 will be on > random allocation (ie Kingsdale style lottery). > > > http://www.harrisdulwichgirls.org.uk/uploads/key_i > nformation/2_0_admissions-policy-2016-17.pdf > > I'm not a fan of random allocation, I did put in > my thoughts into the consultation process. > Renata Terrible news! It just doesn't work when some schools run a lottery and others don't. It is so deeply unfair. But, then, expecting fairness out of state-funded comprehensive secondary education is probably too much to ask eh?

Why do people hate having Iceland on our High Street so much? We have a huge Sainsburys and other expensive specialist food shops. Why can't there be a place for a cheaper food retailer?

I suspect that jollyrogers on the previous page has it. It wouldn't actually occur to me to look for a cyclist coming down that street towards Lordship Lane as I know it to be one way, and did not realise cyclists could use it as a two way street. I would be concentrating on any traffic potentially turning in from LL.

There is a house on Friern Road (top end evens side) with a forest of EA boards outside it. It might well be on the market with multiple agencies but as I understand it only one can have a board up.

How many witnesses do you need for a thing like this? Asking out of interest.

Totally love Peckham Rye and the park. A beautiful spot for everyone to enjoy for free, no ???, nothing. If I had to make a choice I'd say Peckham Rye over Dulwich Park (even though I've given up on the cafe at the former). Love the Sexby Garden in particular. So reviving to take a book and a sandwich and spend a lunch hour there in the sun.

Horrific? When you have an older sibling at the school?

"Frankly there are some very ordinary students at Dulwich college" Is this really true? I know nothing very much about Dulwich College (or any other private school for that matter - our poor deprived children, sadly, have to make do with the turd schools) except that I thought you had to get through a fairly tough entrance exam to get a place. Perhaps I am wrong.