heber jumble queen

Yes there is a Southwark scheme run by www.cyclinginstructor.com. They offer free bike lessons for adults and kids (either through schools or in school holidays). Infact they were promoting some courses over easter on EDF that ran in Dulwich Park.

Must admit never been to the group despite being on the mailing list and intending to. The group now meets at the Albrighton Centre - if you contact the Southwark branch of the National Autistic Society and sign up to the mailing list you'll get all the info (and they also circulate some quite useful stuff).

and just to put in context how small the catchment is for Harris Boys, one of my twins didn't get in this year (twins in different 'bands' - yes I'm still livid) and we live 0.5 miles (or 800 m) from the school. Yes, really. The catchment for Charter definately hasn't crossed Lordship Lane this year - and Heber kids living just over in roads like Melbourne Grove, Colwell Rd etc didn't get in either.

If you don't agree with the proposed school there's really no way of expressing this in your survey - which actually reads more like a petition of support. If this is the survey that you are using to demonstrate local support then I'm afraid it's flawed.

Just to answer Cora's question - children who have a statement of special needs are given priority through a different system. Statemented children have issues that markedly affect their educational development. SEN issues such as Aspergers / high functioning autism usually have huge impact on children and their social / emotional / educational abilities - but as long as they're progressing along a relatively normal trajectory (in terms of results) then they're not statemented and get no additional support or consideration in the school applications procedure. I submitted pages of paediatric / ed psych reports from the ASD Clinic at Sunshine House and that apparently was entirely a waste of time.

hello Emily (you must secretly reveal yourself to me, as I haven't guessed who you are!) - both my boys were in a terrible state last night, couldn't eat their tea they were so upset - they're so worried they won't be able to go to school together. "This is the worst birthday present ever" (it's their birthday tomorrow) I haven't in any way got my head round what I need to do, and how to appeal, and what's the best outcome to aim for (as it looks like our best option to go for Harris Boys - which is obviously an outstanding school but certainly not the best environment for my ASD son and neither of my boys like the idea of being at an all boys school). All this when all I'm looking for is a local, co-ed, non-faith school. It's a disgrace. If anyone dares to mention an application for a free school today....

Harris Boys was, in any case, our last choice - so battling to get into there is not what I had in mind. But thanks for the offer of help Renata.

Well let me be the first to register as a parent unhappy with the outcome. My twins have been offered separate schools - one at Harris Boys and the other Peckham Academy (which wasn't an option on either list)- I dare not even tell my Aspergers son he's been offered a school that he's never even seen as it will send him into a complete panic - I'm going to need to tell him there's been a mistake with his application.

As my moniker would suggest, this is something of a specialist subject.. I always check the South London Press on a Friday for jumble notices locally, and people do advertise them in the SE22 magazine. I'm not aware of any dates coming up but I'd have thought Goodrich School would be having a jumble sometime soon (I'm strictly jumble so can't tell you about car boots) - and the church on Rosendale Rd in Dulwich has had some great jumbles over the years. There's also a twins club sale coming up at St Faiths within the next few weeks I believe - that's usually awash with baby stuff too.

"Why so negative?" Well because I utterly disagree with the policy of free schools, I'm not a fan of the Steiner philosophy - and yes there is a finite monetary resource for schools (it's not the magic porridge pot, and council budgets are being cut day by day) so the education budget should be spent fairly and wisely on decent co-ed, non-faith schools for all families in my opinion. 'Negative' is pretty much the only option for me here. In the same way I'm not 'upbeat' about the Health and Social Care Bill either- if I oppose something fundamentally then negative is how I get. Plus what Carbonara said.

I'm afraid I'm another one who would oppose it quite strongly too.

andanotherthing - as you say you don't have kids, you haven't had to go to the meetings or fill out the forms, so why I'm confused is why are you on a thread in a 'family room' following this at all. You may have followed this thread, but no, you haven't understood it. Please don't feel the need to google anything else. Your suggestion that some of us are in some way deliberating defending something (or even colluding) that was unjust is plain wrong and pretty offensive. I live and work in Southwark and hoped my kids would get into our closest non-faith mixed school, and now through reading something on an internet forum I've learned that the chances of that happening are lower than I'd hoped. What is so hard to understand about that? As many of us have said we're pleased if an unjustice has been put right, but it's not something we were previously aware of. Personally I am not an advocate of choice in schooling - unless you want to go private in my opinion all kids should be offered a place at the nearest mixed non-faith state school - look at the mess choice has got us into. ..and thank you to the people who have offered reassurance about getting a place eventually. I'm actually a very easygoing and optimistic person about these matters. Unfortunately my son with Aspergers - who is obsessed with routine and certainty will find that kind of limbo pretty hard to handle.

James - I don't think either Dorothy, or myself, were suggesting that you shouldn't have posted this thread. However your jolly 'hoorah, what good news for everyone' tone didn't take into account that the reshifting of equity did mean that this will affect some people detrimentally - whether it was Champion Hill residents thinking that they should have put Charter down as they'd assumed they wouldn't get in - or those of us finding ourselves now just too east of LL now to get in after assuming we had a good chance. As a councillor representing all local residents perhaps you could have shown a little more appreciation that this would be unsettling news to some of us - especially as we now have no option to revisit applications.

Absolutely Coach Beth - why getting into a state school - that we all effectively fund through our taxes - should become such a bun fight with wonky uneven rules is inexplicable... and don't even let me get started on the religious schools. BTW I didn't intend to 'share my story' because I fancied an Oprah moment, really I just wanted to illustrate how these kinds of policies and decisions actually affect real people and their options. I didn't appreciate the way that James presented this - as a simple victory that may not actually have any impact on real people, because that isn't the case. Thanks Carbonara - KD on list, but my sporty son would have gone for the sports scholarship nonsense if we decided to put it as our first choice - but he wants to go to the same school as his twin, so decided not to - again a decision that may have been different.

Of course I want the best for my kids - but certainly not by any devious means - and if families living up Champion Hill way have been disadvantaged then I disagree that it's unfair and this is a victory for them. My concern is that I was totally unaware of this when I put Charter as my first choice, as kids living down my street and further along go to Charter, so why wouldn't I think that we're well within the usual catchment area (obviously taking into account slight differences as number of applications fluctuate). I'm not trying to keep my kids out of any particular school - but I do have a son with ASD (autism) who isn't statemented and really wouldn't thrive in a boys school so my priority was the nearest co-ed that my son - and indeed his twin brother - could walk to. Charter don't seem to take social / medical reasons into account despite having paediatric reports to support his application (the adjudication loosely references this) - now that I know that we may be out of the catchment for this year I may well have opted to go for the inexplicable Kingsdale 'random-lottery-cum-X-Factor audition' - but I didn't know, and I was advised historically people living where I do get into Charter (just off Lordship Lane, not in a leafy Dulwich mansion), and that the school's good at supporting ASD kids, so that's what I did. I'm very pleased that fairness has been adjudicated for those families - but I filled out the form based on reasonable assumptions at the time, and if I was doing it now I'd have to rethink it.

Does this mean that the applications currently being considered for entry in Sept 2012 will be subject to these new guidelines? I have no reason to question whether this is a good or fair decision - but if effectively the likely catchment area of 'safe walking distance' have shifted since submitting applications in October, I may well have made some different choices.

There is still a PCT (until 2013), and problems getting an appointment with a GP can be reported to the NHS Southwark PALS team based in the PCT, who can try to resolve the issue by contacting the practice on your behalf - and report back to the primary care contracting team (or advise about making a formal complaint if that's what you want to do). You should definately contact them and let them know about the problems you've had - it's certainly more likely to change things than commenting on NHS Choices - although you can do that too. http://www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk/patient_information/patient_advice

Thanks Renata, any advice gratefully received. HJQ

I'm afraid I can't help Medusa, but I am asking the same question myself so would be interested in any answers... I also have a son in yr 6 with Aspergers (non disruptive, non statemented) and I'm not really sure where to start asking the right questions. If we don't get any other responses Medusa - let's at least keep in touch and swap experiences from open days!

I totally agree that it's fantastic the pool has opened and is vastly improved etc - and apologize for kicking off with a whinge - but as a Fusion member for many years and a regular at the centre - I have been really looking forward to going swimming with my kids there - and they've been talking it about for weeks now - so that was a real disappointment to see so few opportunities for a family swim throughout the week. It would be great news if the number of general sessions could be extended - even if that does mean only having access to half the pool to accomodate classes. Thanks James.

Sorry Ratty, but need to disagree on this one. Given our looming obesity crisis, encouraging children to keep fit in a fun way is crucial and a local priority for our health and social services (and where else can kids go to run around and let off steam after 4pm on winter evenings? I am always looking for answers to that problem). You can't expect little ones to be swimming past 7pm on a school night - nothing wrong with having dedicated adult lane swimming times but it dominates the timetable. Very few windows for kids to swim here. and just after school is ideal. Why does swim school need to take over whole pool every weekday?

I'm pretty disappointed to see that everyday after school is swim school - no general swim (except Friday - the one day I can't take them swimming). Does that mean the whole pool is used by swim school at the only time that primary aged children can regularly swim apart from weekends? (ie between 4 - 6.30) I've been taking my kids to peckham pulse every Weds at 4pm for some after school fun and exercise - especially important in the dark winter months when parks close early. I was really looking forward to being able to walk down the road instead. Looks like I'll still be going to Peckham every week.

SJK, I'm assuming you don't have the misfortune to live as near to the hot tub gang as I do... as I have been disturbed by this crowd ALL SUMMER and not just at weekends: shouting, watching films outdoors at 3am very loudly... now I'm all for having a good time but this lot are just plain inconsiderate. Luckily things have been quieter recently, so if any hot tubbers read this - please keep it down!

The last time this mob knocked on my door (which has happened many many times over past 15 years) I politely said 'no thanks' and also received a tirade of abuse - the guy tried to stop me closing my door and then continued to shout abuse and threats through my letter box for several minutes, which terrified my 2 kids. They are definately not a charity, nothing like, and for whoever claimed they were young men down on their luck trying to earn an honest crust - NO they're not - I have no idea whether they're also stealing, but I would second calling the police or community wardens as I've experienced intimidating behaviour from them several times.

Earlier I had been weighing up whether to attend her body pump at Dulwich tonight, and I feel so saddened and shocked to read this. Meryem was a great tutor and a lovely woman - she also taught at the Turkish Womens Group that I had worked with. Even though she wasn't a close friend it's really heartbreaking to hear - obviously all thoughts go to her daughters and family. Not sure how to go about it, but would be happy to contribute to any memorial fund for her daughters. As someone who also regularly cycles past the Elephant (on the safer cycle routes, the roundabout is too terrifying)it's a very sobering thought - and a reminder to all of us who cycle AND drive to be aware, safe and considerate.