Renata Hamvas

Hi Carbonara, the banding tests done by local state schools are non-verbal reasoning ie IQ type tests. The easiest way to approach these so that your child isn't phased when they sit them, is to pop into a bookshop/WHSmiths/Amazon and pick up an II+ non-verbal reasoning book/papers or enroll for online 11+ preparation in non-verbal reasoning. Let your child do a couple of these under controlled/timed conditions, just so they don't panic in the test. The idea is that schools end up with children with a range of abilities, there is no pass/fail mark on these. Setting in secondary schools is normally determined by a mixture of SATs, school reports and tests they do either shortly before or at the start of secondary. An important thing is that if a school you are applying for sets such a test, that your child attends and sits the test (Often their is a second test if your child is sick and misses the test). Children who miss the banding exam may miss out on a place at a school of choice, as they are placed behind banded children in the lists! Renata

Good! Mark, it would be good if people on this thread could indicate the time/day when the uninating footballers are about (assuming they play on a particular day), and if there are any particular times/days in relation to any other anti-social behaviour. I shall give you a call, Renata

Suniil, the schools I know locally that have music specialisms are Kingsdale (Southwark), Haberdasher's Aske and Prendergast, Hilly Fields (Lewisham). It is worth visiting other schools as some, even without a specialism in Music may have strong music departments that would serve a child that is gifted/talented in Music. At the beginning of this thread, I included the Southwark link on open days, here is the one for Lewisham: Lewisham open days and the booklet for Lambeth Lambeth schools When looking for your list of 6 schools be aware that even though most Southwark children go to Southwark Schools, some go to Lewisham, Lambeth, Sutton, Westminster and schools in many other boroughs. Renata

Because this thread is titled more dogs in Peckham Rye Park!

Hi First mate and the-e-dealer, I am not singling out dogs (or their owners!) but concerned with all anti-social actions/behaviour on the Rye and the Cemeteries in my Ward. I think that under the current economic circumstances we would be unlikely to have additional staff employed at the Rye. I would like to know if antisocial behaviour or dog problems are likely to be occuring on particular times of day, during the week or at the weekend. For example, the urinating footballers, is this a regular fixture??????? Renata

This is a busy time for year 5 and 6 parents. It is secondary school open-day time. Try to visit as many schools as you can, and particularly if your child is in year 6, take them with you. Look carefully at admissions criteria, does your child meet them? Take a note book with you and pick up a prospectus. Speak to current pupils about their school. Think carefully how you are going to rank the schools, you will need to find 6 (if possible). Putting down only two or three schools does not increase your chance in getting into them, but reduces your chance of getting a school you choose. Look past the borough boundaries. Think about journey routes and travelling time. Buses are free, but remember train lines from East Dulwich/Honor Oak/Peckham Rye/Nunhead (but need to pay to travel then)may open access to more schools. Southwark schools open days are between 20th Sept and 15th October. The list is available now via the Southwark website seconday admissions 2012 Renata

Some were this year. This has been due to St Antony's and St William of York (Honor Oak, just over into Lewisham) bulging meaning an extra 45 Catholic places in the area. Renata

Glad to be of service!(tu) Renata:)

It appears some enforcement is needed re dogs in Peckham Rye Park. Will report Renata

I can now update that the consultation is due to start in 3-4 months (not much info, but this is what I have been told by council officers, zero details so far), this will be on the lights and various other measures for Forest Hill Rd to sort out crossing, speeding etc. Renata

Hi Nicolas, I have also raised the non-matching bins with the Cleaner Greener Safer team. Renata

This is a great scheme, if you have surplus paint that is fine to use, but you don't know what to do with it, take it to Manor Place, which is just off the Walworth Rd and it will go to a good home! Renata

Hello Val162, having had discussions on this, there is probably no legal grounds to prevent the school not using the park at all, as it is a public area. They do, however, have an agreement with another educational establishment for PE etc and the boys are bused there. Yes, I agree we do not want an uprising amongst Peckham Rye Residents! Dialogue with your friendly Peckham Rye councillors is likely to have a much better outcome :) Renata ;-)

To Clarify on Faith Schools, most of Southwark's C of E schools have a mixture of C of E places and community places, with the later being determined on distance. Catholic schools prioritise with Catholics being giving priority, then other christians and then community, with the last being on distance. This means that you may get a place at a catholic school as a non-catholic, it depends on the number of catholic families who apply. Renata

Hi Nicolas, thanks for raising this, I will contact council officers and report it. Renata

There are two Charity Shops in Peckham that take children's shoes in good condition. One is on the top of Rye Lane, close to WHSmiths and the other (Scope?) in the parade in front and to the right of Peckham Square, close to Peckham Space and you can park on the main road there for loading/unloading. Renata

There are two in Peckham that will be very happy to take Buggies. One is on the top of Rye Lane, close to WHSmiths and the other (Scope?) in the parade in front and to the right of Peckham Square, close to Peckham Space and you can park on the main road there for loading/unloading. Renata

Hi Ko, if you go down to the park today, you will see fencing and equipment for toddlers is back but in a new location. There is some new equipment for older children, which is what you probably saw. There is more info in the Family Room Thread on this, Renata

The request for the route to be extended to New Cross has come from the Nunhead Voice (formerly the Nunhead Community Forum, they've changed their name to match their magazine).There were complaints from Ansdell Rd Residents as the road is very narrow, when the bus went double decker. TFL have proposed altering the route to go down Lausanne Rd instead. The residents group plus some users of the SouthEastforum, Nunhead section have raised this too. There have not been any suggestions to alter the current route from Nunhead Lane, by the Rye and up through Rye Lane. In terms of the 63 extension, that all of the Peckham Rye Councillors (Myself, Victoria Mills and Gavin Edwards) plus Valerie Shawcross have been lobbying for, this was turned down by both TFL and Boris on economic grounds. TFL costed the 4 bus stop extension to Honor Oak Rise at 600k a year! They say there wouldn't be sufficient extra paid for journeys to warrant the additional cost. The also say that customers can use the P12 or P4 instead? (very different routes to the 63). The extension of the 484 to Sainsbury's at DKH was also looked into. I think it was dismissed on the grounds that there are more users wishing to go the Denmark Hill (train, hospitals etc) and Camberwell than to Sainsbury's and the looping into the car park would cause significant delays to the route. On altering the 343 route or making the buses single decker at the Nunhead end, this was also discounted. Hi Nunhead Claire, in answer to your question, the 78 route does through part of my ward which includes the Eastern part of East Dulwich, west and south Nunhead (eg parts of Linden Grove, Nunhead Lane and Ivydale Rd)and the Southwark part of Honor Oak. Renata

Hi New mother, it sounds like that your friends children would be entering primary mid-school. The thing to consider with this is that many primary classes are currently full, particularly infant classes so moving close to a particular primary school would not neccessarily mean that they could secure two places there, as this may be reliant on two children leaving the school. If they think stay in a home for a while, I agree with posters above, that perhaps they should be looking at secondary school admissions criteria and catchments. I believe Charter goes on safest walking distance and takes the closest pupils and it's not done on a band by band basis. Harris boys/girls and Haberdashers' Askes go on band/as the crow flies. For the later school, however, they would need to be looking in south Nunhead/Telegraph Hill to have a good chance, unless their eldest child is very talented in music. Kingsdale allocation is done predominantly on a random allocation (lottery) basis. The government is changing the regulations so that local authorities aren't able allocate places by lottery, but Southwark doesn't do this anyhow, and the regs are not applicable for individual school lotteries. Random allocation of places at popular schools, by the fact that anyone can apply with equal chance means that numbers of applicants can be very large. Snowboarder and Grotty, I don't know if this will help, but, all the local primaries are Fine! Yes, you may not necessarily get a place at your number 1 choice primary, but everyone who applied on time was offered a place at a local primary this year. Using your 6 choices and applying on time is important. There is also alot of movement on waiting lists once the initial allocations are made. Southwark primary schools over the last four years have gone from 150th in the national league tables (the bottom 10) to the top 25 percent of all local authorities, outperforming both national averages and the achievements of our statistical neighbours. These results put Southwark in the top ten of the most improved boroughs in England (for both primary and secondary). Be also aware that it's a long time until secondary application time and schools can change alot in that time as a whole cohort will have passed through and also their admissions policy may be totally different in a decades time. Renata

The fate of these lights will depend on the outcome of the consultation on traffic flow/calming/crossing etc for the whole of Forest Hill rd from Colyton Junction up to One Tree Hill. Renata

I don't know how many ED residents use this route, but if you do, there are proposals to change the Nunhead end of the route. Some Nunhead residents has stated that they would like the route to be extended to New Cross Bus Garage via Queen's Rd. Is this what you would wish for? 78 bus route consultation Renata

Having visited with some equipment testers, I would say that the equipment except for the roundabout which is for any age is suitable for age 4-5 up and not toddlers, but the equipment for younger children has been reinstalled. The height of the highest leap frog post is for a six foot tall child??? I agree that something need to be done to avoid the risk of collision between cyclists and kids, there were no dogs there on my visit, but certainly nothing to keep them away, also no seating. I shall feed back to council officers on this, additionally, the "water feature" was full of leaves! Renata

I will raise the seating/other suggestions and issues with the council officers working on this project, Renata

I know the road (and the humps!) well, however, I'm not knowledgeable enough to judge/speculate if they are OK or not. I shall leave it up to the experts to come back to me on their judgement. I know the wait is frustrating for residents, but as soon as I know more, I will post about the outcome. Renata