Renata Hamvas

Yes, childcare is very expensive. The cuts in child tax credits (which helps with childcare) and the scrapping of child benefit where a parent earns over 42k or so in (Jan 2013) are going to having a big impact on many families too. For the later, number of children and joint family income is not considered at all (and if the parent is a single parent or not), so if you have more children, the greater the hit! Renata

The music exams for secondaries specialising in music usually test musicality by ability to distinguish small differences in notes, pitch etc. These are designed that children do not get in becuase parents have paid for lots of lessons, but to identify children with real muscial talent. I know of one ED boy who got into an oversubscribed school on music who hadn't had a music lesson in his life. Schools do specialise in different subjects, eg Harris Girls specialise in enterprise, St Thomas the Apostle in maths and Kingsdale, sport, music and maths. Renata

Lambeth tonight Elmgreen7-9pm

Hi Savana, I did put Charter's result in the 2011 GCSEs section (67%) sorry, I didn't post yesterday's or this morning's open days, here are some more: Southwark: Tues 27th Notre Dame 1.15pm onwards Charter 2.15-5pm

Unfortunately, due to current lead values, theft from roofs is one of the most prevalent forms of theft at the moment (this is what the local police have said). If you see people on your neighbour's roof and you don't think they were getting works done on their roof, call the police. Cemetery buildings in the area have also been stripped of their lead. Renata

Yes, I'm delighted with the achievements of the girls at Harris Girls. Their A level results were also good. I visited the school for an enterprise evening. They are raising money for charity by producing a range of goods from cup cakes to lamp shades and silk scarfs. The girl's are working on this on a voluntary basis with proceeds going to two nominated charities. hope (yes that is me piping icing badly!) The school had a waiting list this year.

The final public consultation on the future of Honor Oak Rec and what to do about burials in the borough (Camberwell New and Old Cemetery and Nunhead Cemetery are full) will be held at Honor Oak Rec, Forest Hill Rd (near Honor Oak Station)From 1-4 pm. I plan to be there, Renata

another one to add, walworth academy 70% (inc eng plus maths)

Maxti, yes they do- without they are much higher eg Harris girls is 95%, I'll edit my previous post!

There is no published co-ordinated figure for Southwark, so I have just found out/phoned the schools in the area: Charter (66% on website, but gone up to 67% now) Kingsdale (66%) Harris Girls (66%) My finger was not stuck on the 6! These results are for maths and English included. When visiting schools they should give you this information.

The rest of the week: (sorry didn't post early enough for this morning's sessions!)_ Thursday 22nd Walworth Academy 5.30-8pm Lewisham Addey and Stanhope 6.30-8pm Bonus Pastor 6.30-8pm Prendergast-Hilly Fields 5.30-7.30pm Friday 23rd St Michael's, Bermondsey 9.30-11.30 Lewisham Forest Hill School 9.20 for 9.30 start Sedgehill 9-10.30 Saturday 24th Harris Girls ED 10-12 Kingsdale 11-1 Lambeth Dunraven 9.15-10.30 Evelyn Grace 10-12 Lewisham St Matthew Academy 10 onwards

I'm asking Southwark School admissions for you. The only school I know about that I think list Aspergers as its speciality SEN is Haberdasher's Askes, a Lewisham school in Telegraph Hill. Their open day is today-until 7pm.

Brown bins- garden waste and food waste blue bins- all recyclables mixed together, now including tetrapacks and envelopes with windows (ie paper, most plastic (eg shampoo bottles, plastic boxes from food, glass, cans, foil). green bin, everything else eg nappies, cling film, polystyrene etc I shall find out if blue boxes are being removed. Due to the increase in what can be recycled, the amount left to be put in the green bins is greatly reduced, so a typical household should not have a problem with the green bins being emptied once a fortnight rather than once a week. In areas where food recycling has been piloted, recycling %s have doubled! Renata

I forgot to say, when you visit the schools, assess how you find the journey, if it's tough for you, it will be even tougher for an 11 year old in rush hour! Renata

Hi Curly, the explanation of Aske's drop (results actually up since last year, I think) is in their recent Ofsted report. It is worth looking at the Osted reports as well as the results of the schools you are interested in for your child. www.ofsted.gov.uk Renata

Three wheelie bins have appeared by the painted electic substation on Forest Hill Rd, two brown and one green. If you live nearby and have lost yours, please go there and retrieve your bin (soon, as I will get the extra bins removed!):). Also, a painted one belonging to the Cafe and matching the painted substation has disappeared, if you have seen it, please return it to there or e-mail/let me know where it is so I can go and return it to it's correct place. Thanks Renata

Foundation is nursery plus reception KS1= years 1+2 KS2= Years 3-6 KS3= years 7-9 KS4= years 10+11 KS5= years 12+13 Renata

Open Days Today and Tomorrow 20/09/2012 Walworth Academy 9-10.45 St Thomas the Apostle, Boys, Nunhead 5-7pm Bacon's College, 5.30-8pm 21/09/12 St Michael's Catholic College 9.30-11.30 and 4.30-7pm Kingsdale 9.30-11 and 5.30-8pm Harris Academy Peckham 5-7pm City of London Academy 5-7pm (this is the only date left) Bacon's 5.30-8pm (final date) also nearby Lewisham Schools Forest Hill Boys 9.30-11.30 Haberdasher's Aske , Hatcham 12-7pm (only date) and lambeth schools London Nautical (boys, allocated by lottery)4-6pm please note that this list is not exhaustive, they are many other open days going on! Renata

Hi Denmothersmith, there have been discussions with school, council and local groups. Once everything is finalised I will update here. Renata

No one has contacted me about the days/times activities usually were run at St Thomas More Hall, I think as well as dancing, language classes, there may have been a youth club there, on a Friday? When you contact me please let me know usual number of people attending and whether you need alarge hall, or would a small one be OK, thanks Renata

I am trying to find where the extra (non-matching ) bins have come from.

If groups want to contact me, I will try to see what I can find for their usual time/days in the area Renata

Don't get your hopes up! I would have expected that the Peckham Rye Councillors (hoped?) would be consulted/contacted about any plans to extend the 172. I've heard nothing, we are still continuing with the extend the 63 campaign. The reason that so far we have had no success, is on the grounds of cost. (Boris, unfortunately, has not been supportive). I doubt if it was too costly to extend the 63 4 stops, it would be any cheaper to extend the 172 from the Brockley Rise end. Renata

The Peckham Rye Ward boundaries are staying the same, ie part of Nunhead, part of East Dulwich and the Southwark part of Honor Oak, so Peckham Rye, whatever the decisions in relation to constituency boundaries, you will still be a resident of Peckham Rye Ward! Renata

I know of Church Halls being used by Nurseries in the daytime and for other activities in the evening/weekend. It is possible, however, that rather than just hiring out the hall to the nursery, it has been leased out (ie that the nursery will have sole use, this would explain the stripping out). If the later is the case, the alternative options I can think of are: ED community centre on Darryl Rd (children's Irish dancing there already there, however, on a Saturday morning), Peckham Rye Tenants and Resident Hall on Peckham Rye East side,(not far from the Cafe in the Rye), St Anthony's with St Silus Church Hall on Merttin's Rd, South Nunhead SE15 (where an ED nursery was temporarily), The new Brenchley Gardens TRA Hall (On Brenchley Gardens)and St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church on Evelina Rd, Nunhead (two halls). Renata