Renata Hamvas

To confirm what is called Bermondsey Park on the Southwark website is actually Southwark Park! Renata

The consultation forms are on their way to local residents Renata

I have been informed, that resurfacing works are about to start on Ryedale Renata

Gavin has last night's meeting discussions well summarised above, I just have a few points to add. The costings were done to see what parents would need to pay if we kept the club being run as it is at the moment, this came out as 6 pounds per child per session. This assumed that the same number of children attended. We felt that this was too much for many parents. That is why that option got the (td) from us. We don't know whether the one O'clock club will be run by a local children's centre or by the community, but one thing is clear, we will need to have a steering group of interested people involve with the club:). Please post here or PM me or Gavin or Vikki or email us about when would be a suitable time for the meeting to discuss the next steps forwards (daytime? evening? location?). As well as funding for a new purpose built building and for the overheads, there is also funding for the toys/equipment for the club. Renata

Secondary school admissions Your child can start secondary school in Southwark if: ?They are transferring from primary to secondary school in September 2012; and ?They were born between 1 September 2000 and 31 August 2001; or ?They are taught as a Year 6 child during the 2011/12 academic year Key admission date These are important deadlines which you will need to keep in mind. If you miss this date, your chances of being offered a place at a preferred school will be reduced. (!)Monday 31 October 2011 Closing date for receipt of common application forms. You must ensure that your online application or your paper application form alongside any additional supporting information are received by the council by this date. It is recommend that you submit your application by Friday 21 October so it goes in it before the half term holiday. I recommend people apply onlinesecondary admissions this enables you to change your choices up to the closing date and you don't have the worry that your application may be delayed or lost in the post. If you have problems contact Liam White, the school preference advisor [email protected] or schools admissions on 020 7525 5337 [email protected] Do look carefully whether you fill the school's admissions criteria. Do put down 6 schools. The schools do NOT know the order you place them in on the form. Put the schools in the real order of preference. You will be offered a place at only one of the schools on Offer Day, Thursday 1st March 2012. This will be the highest ranked school that was able to offer your child a place. As you have six choices you can put down some long shots, but please put some schools down that your child has a realistic chance to get into. If your child has an SEN which means that a school is more suited to them than others, put this down. Remember to tick sibling boxes! Please fill in one form, even if you are applying to schools from more than one borough (highly likely as ED is at the edge of the borough). It is a Londonwide form. If a school selects for a particular talent/ability or on religious grounds you will need to fill out supplementary forms. Many schools will have banding assessments, make sure your child attends these, as not doing so means that they risk not being offered a place at a school they would otherwise be eligible for. Good Luck, and I'm happy to help anyone. Renata

Southwark Guy Fawkes night 5 November 2011 Time: 6pm - 7.30pm Location: Bermondsey Park Cost: Free Southwark Council's traditional firework display in Bermondsey Park. Set in the stunning 63 acre Bermondsey Park at the south end near the running track. As well as the much-loved rockets, roman candles and sparklers the council is also set to provide food and novelty stalls, a mulled wine and spiced cider bar and children's funfair rides. Renata

The Colour Thief was to be a Festival of Light and Winter encompassing a variety of different cultural festivals eg Divali and Guy Fawkes night. This has now been cancelled. But now there is a more traditional bonfire night instead. Council Guy Fawkes night 5 November 2011 Time: 6pm - 7.30pm Location: Bermondsey Park Cost: Free Southwark Council's traditional firework display in Bermondsey Park. Set in the stunning 63 acre Bermondsey Park at the south end near the running track. As well as the much-loved rockets, roman candles and sparklers the council is also set to provide food and novelty stalls, a mulled wine and spiced cider bar and children's funfair rides. Renata

I'm chasing up on your questions with council officers and will post when I have more info, as I said above, this project was funded by a specific grant. Renata

Next year the school will have a smaller 'catchment area' than this year as it bulged (60 places rather than the usual 30). I have heard it's good. If you are looking at Catholic schools in the area, both St Francesca Cabrini (Peckham Rye Ward) and St Anthony's (East Dulwich) have good Ofsted reports and obtained excellent SATs results in 2011, in both schools 90 something percent got level 4+ for Eng, Maths,Science and over half of the children at both schools got level 5 in Eng/Maths. Renata

No Byngo,this was one of the tranches of money set aside for rebuilding of the one O clock club. There is some money left and I will chase up on what were/are the decisions about fencing. This area is designed for older kids than the one O clock club equipment. The children I've observed playing on it seem to be mainly 5-12 year olds. Renata

I now have a few more results, these are currently unverified results, ie may change slightly with remarking: Notre Dame 57% Sacred Heart 81% Harris Academy @ Peckham 49% Harris Academy Bermondsey 64% Harris Girl's Academy 67% Walworth Academy 69% Bacon's 66% Globe Academy 42% Renata

Ken has verbally said if elected he will support the 63 extension (he has been asked specifically about this route, but I haven't seen it in his manifesto yet), Boris however says, take the P12 as he and TFL both aren't interested to spend money on extending this route- I have no idea how they have managed to come up with the figure of 600k a year for 4 bus stops:-S! We haven't given up yet. Renata

Hi to confirm, emergency vehicles will have access. Also, the closure will be for a trial period. Renata yes I agree it is a beautiful sunny day:)

James, Re the one O clock club, this is not what I said! A investigation into how the club is to be run and funded was carried out and we are waiting for the outcome on this. Renata Jam_log, I am sending you a PM

jam_log, call 02075252000 and request them.

To update on this, the results of the survey showed that some of the bumps were too high. These will require reconstruction. I will update here when I receive notification of the timetable from council officers. Renata

To confirm what Gavin said above, we are waiting for an update from council officers re the one o clock club. Re the new play area, this was built from Play Builder funds. It is geared up for older children than the one o clock club. Whenever I walk past, it appears to be well used, particularly by the 5-12 age group. The swinging dish seems to be the most popular item there. I will chase up on the fencing issue in relation to the new area. Renata

The results I have: Harris Girl's, Kingsdale and Charter had 2/3 of their pupils gettting 5 GCSEs including English and Maths, Walworth Academy, a bit higher at 70%. I have requested the results for other schools in the borough from council officers. Renata

The Friern Road/Peckham Rye junction experimental closure is proposed as a result of complaints from local residents due to increased traffic/rat running and parking issues (exacerbated due to the opening of Harris Boy's school), particularly at school run time. Residents in the area will be receiving consultation documents and the consultation will be from 1-18th November (so residents please join in as we want your view!). A traffic survey was carried out and an increase of vehicles including larger unsuitable vehicles was seen during peak time. Cyclists and emergency vehicles will be exempt from the closure. Renata

You do have chances with some schools that are much further than 300m away, this is the approx last place offered for the most popular schools in the Borough. Some schools had last place offered distances much further than this and there are good schools that were not full from children who applied to them. This sometimes happens where there are two schools close to one another and parents aften prefer one over the other eg placing school A first and school B second and most of the local choldren getting into A so B has places. The schools with stars in the brochure on the last distance section show that all children who applied there were offered a place. Bulges also affect last place offer distances, making them larger for the year of bulge, but then they shrink back to smaller than usual for a few years due to extra siblings. Larger schools also tend to have larger distances as they have more places eg Goodrich's last place ofered this year was double Heber. This means if you live closer to Heber than Goodrich, you may get Goodrich as it has alarger intake and last place offered distance. Remember that the last place offered distances are not fixed catchment areas and can move up or down in size from year to year. Renata

Hi Titch juicy, yes if you are traveling in peak hours, but not after around 7pm or early in the morning. The current service that runs in the evening via Catford and Nunhead is due to move back to the Blackfriars/City Thameslink line soon. This means that during these times there will no longer be a Victoria service at all. I am supportive of Victoria-Dartford being extended and made more frequent or Victoria to either Bromley South or to Bellingham as I know that the ELL will not plug the gap for many people using Victoria station. Renata

Hi Dorothy I'm guessing you live in ED. Harris Girl's has the same 66% 5 GCSE results as Kingsdale and Charter, and I have been informed by the head there that there is now a joint sibling policy with the boy's school (increasingly important as both had a waiting list this year). I don't know exactly where you live, but I know some south of borough residents have got into Prendergast Hilly Fields, but it depends on the band. I will PM you with some other possibles. Renata

I do know an ED child who is in Aske's after not having any music lessons whatsoever and being accepted after singing at the audition, so it can be done! Renata

In all these schools, it's only a small number that are selected by their ability in a particular field eg Music. For most schools, they select on distance, and this is how the majority of places for a secondary will be allocated. There are some exceptions to this eg Kingsdale , which selects by randon allocation (ie lottery) and church schools (Catholic or C of E in Southwark) where religious affiliation of the child/family is the main criterium for obtaining a place. If yur child is highly gifted academically, if you wish, you can apply to the out of borough grammar schools. I would check however, as many of them now do their entrance exams prior to the CAF form deadline, in order to notify parents whether the child is likely to be offered a place before they fill in the form. The closest ones to Southwark are probably in Sutton, but there are Southwark children going as far as Dartford, Kent. I would note, however that most secondary schools have setting, this means that children work with others of a similar academic ability to themselves. All southwark schools are comprehensives, which means that they provide and cater for children with a wide range of abilites and talents. Be aware that academies and voluntary aided (church) schools set their own admissions criteria and therefore you need to check eligibility prior to submitting your form. Renata

Rest of the week: Southwark Weds 28th Sacred Heart 5-7.30pm St Thomas the Apostle 5-7pm Harris Girl's 5-7pm Thurs 29th Harris Boy's 5-8pm Harris Bermondsey 9am Sacred Heart 5-7.30pm St Thomas the Apostle 9-11am Walworth Academy 5.30-8pm Friday 30th Harris Boy's 9-12 Sat 1st Harris Boy's 9-12 Walworth Academy 10-12 Lambeth weds 28th St Martin in the Fields 5-8pm Stockwell Park 4-6pm Thurs 29th Evelyn Grace Academy 8.45-11am and 5.30-8.30 Norwood 4.30-7pm Sat 1st Elmgreen 9.30-11 St Martin in the Fields 10-1 Lewisham Weds 28th Prendergast-Hilly Fields 5.30-7.30 Thurs 29th Bonus Pastor 9.15-11am Deptford Green 6.30-8 Forest Hill Boys 9.20-11.30 Prendergast- Hilly Fields 1.30-3.30 Prendergast Vale (held at Ladywell Fields) 10.30am Fri 30th Bonus Pastor 9.15-11am Forest Hill Boys 9.20-11.30 St Matthew Academy 9-10.15 Sat 1st Deptford Green 10.30-12.30 Prendergast-Ladywell Fields 9.15-10.30