tomskip

Thank you very much for posting this. It will affect those of us with children who go to Sydenham Girls or Forest Hill Boys. Am grateful for the heads-up.

The blunt truth is that most families in SE22 do not have more than one or two realistic choices of primary school and at the moment, with demand so very high, many families fall outside the catchment area of any primaries. So why make everyone go through the charade of putting six on their list? Its a nonsense ... and the same situation comes up again with secondary school.

I'm very sorry, I don't know the exact distances involved, but you are right in thinking that the "catchment" for The Charter School has changed recently. Children who were previously excluded from the Dog Kennel Hill area are now included. There was a long thread on here about it last year and I am sure a quick search will bring it to light. It was started by James Barber. For anecdotal purposes I can tell you that my child was number 90 on the Charter waiting list a couple of weeks after the September term started (and, therefore, after the traditional shake down, can't imagine where it would have been at the end of the summer holidays) whereas less than 5 years ago very near neighbours of mine got a place for their children. Do pm me if you want to know my address. It is at the other end of the catchment to Loughborough Junction but it might just help you to ascertain the 2012 radius if you can be bothered to work out the distances.

My children haven't even started getting ready for bed yet ...

So sorry to hear this and how awful for you! Your post and other recent similar posts will definitely make me more on my guard around cash machines in future. Infact, I might just start getting all my cash out as cashback in shops from now on. I am sure your bank will refund you notesink, but it is horrible to realise you have been scammed like this.

Prdarling - when you say you didn't realise that The Charter School would still be an option - it wouldn't be from Honor Oak. You will be too far away. You can of course apply to Kingsdale but its not quite the same as applying for any of the other schools as they operate a lottery system.

Think the Upland Road Hotel used to be a b&b for the homeless.

Is it really true that property is cheaper in Honor Oak? I can't say I have noticed particularly.

It also says Lordship Lane Co-Op in the thread title.

It is symptomatic of the sort of area we live in. I don't blame the owners for one moment - enough businesses have gone under in ED recently - but you either live in a poncey area with poncey shop prices or you live somewhere cheaper with chain stores.

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We've been here since 1996 and its been just fine. But we want to move on - still in London, not the suburbs or further afield. I am thinking New Cross, Crystal Palace or Annerley (but, weirdly, not Penge). Does anyone have any further thoughts?