redjam

Maybe try this guy? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,1840834,1840834#msg-1840834

Still can't quite believe this. So I've now got to do an hour's round journey by bus to get over to Peckham every time I miss a parcel? Either that or wait two days (presumably?) for redelivery - and just pray that you happen to be in second time around. Are they really the only two options now?

Um, I'd have thought the Mayor of London has slightly more pressing matters to attend to than the exact route of a temporary bus diversion in East Dulwich, no?

The EDF at its best! I know we're not talking about round here but I always like to fantasise I could go back in time 120 years or so to when this area was first developed. I'd love to see what it was like when all the houses were brand-new, presumably much more homogenous in style as there'd be none of the later additions, no cars on the streets etc. Would all the front gates and paths have looked the same as each other? Would those Edwardians be moaning about litter and dog poo on the pavements as now or would horse poo on the roads be the issue du jour? Would the gardens be used for growing veg or flowers? What would the streets look like without all the modern-day signs and road markings? Wouldn't it be fascinating...

Keeps 'em off the streets and out of trouble...

Very happy to add my recommendation to those for Jon Smith - he was very efficient at replying to emails, came round when he said he would, was friendly and polite, did a great job cleaning our windows inside and out (even the tricky Velux ones in the loft) and didn't charge a fortune. What's more, he came back at a pre-agreed time a couple of weeks later with his long ladder to do a couple of windows he couldn't get to the first time, even though I'd already paid him in full. He also cleaned the sills and told me he also does deck-washing and carpet-cleaning. Nice guy who takes pride in his work - will use him again.

TE44 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Redjam I believe there are still concerns, a > lawsuit from 2010 is still going through legal > prosedures. > > https://iftbqp.com/bookmark/julie-and-boys-cdc-mer > ck-vaccines-0 > > Sorry about link but very difficult to get info on > this case except on sites that are associated with > "conspiracies". > I think you've just skewered your own argument there - the only places you will still see these kinds of views persisting are in the weird outer fringes of the internet populated by conspiracy theorists. Me, I'll take my information from more reliable sources, such as the NHS or the NICE websites, but each to their own.

Also they will get a different result if they carry out the survey over the Easter holidays, though presumably they are smart enough to figure this out for themselves :) Thanks for organising this to happen, James.

Is this for secondary school? They're free for all primary schools in Southwark, aren't they? (Well, they are at my younger daughter's primary anyway.) For secondary it's just pay as you go using a special card that you can load with cash via Parentpay - you just pay for what they purchase.

Are people STILL bringing up 'concerns' about the MMR jab??? Really???! I'm lost for words...

I'm with Louisa/Nigello on this one. I can't see what's so objectionable about wanting a place to look a bit cleaner. I wouldn't want the whole character of the lane to change, but the station area is pretty squalid and intimidating late at night.

bodsier Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes I agree they ought to learn balance, but > adults are so addicted to phones why expect > anything different from kids? My son's friend has > said that he will keep in touch with him IF he has > a phone! (sure they are scheming, but there is an > element of truth there). As parents are we to > collude in this social apathy?) > > I agree redjam, it is tough, but the difficulty > appears to be getting past parents, Many I have > spoken to don't want their children to have a > phone at all, yet succumb to the pressure that > their children put on them. It's them > That I am appealing to. Some of these parents just > like the idea of being able to track their kids. > What happened to trust? Can kids really develop > independence when we never really let our children > go? Schools are doing a great job in raising > excellent scheep, are we to continue that job at > home? But surely you're arguing this both ways, saying that you don't trust them to use the internet/social media responsibly, but you do trust them to travel around London on their own and not be contactable? I'd much rather be the other way round and know my daughter and I can get hold of each other easily if needed (obviously a non internet-enabled phone would also do this job but I'm just pointing out the flaw in this argument). If you really want your child to develop independence, isn't teaching them how to use the internet responsibly part of that process? And yes, part of that is modelling good behaviour yourself (as a parent) and not being welded to your phone at all times. > > Year 7 is 11/12 Yes, you're right, my mistake. So Year 8 is the official age they're allowed to have WhatsApp. Not to mention the sharp > increase of brain tumours amongst > kids/teenagers..... The repercussions of this > won't be felt until they reach young adulthood, > doctors suspect that it's due to phone use whilst > young brains are developing....not to mention the > deterioration of mental health which of course > can't be solely attributed to smart phones, but > they certainly don't help..but hey, at least they > won't be alone... > https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk > /news/health/teenage-technology-addiction-smartpho > ne-rehab-seattle-clinic-children-aged-13- > > mobile-devices-a7684356.html%3famp I think the evidence for this is still pretty unclear. Cancer Research UK calls the link between cancer and mobile phones 'unlikely': http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-controversies/mobile-phones-wifi-and-power-lines Sorry, I know you didn't want to get into a debate about this but I think phones are very demonised and we all worry about the effect they have on our kids - but I also think their drawbacks are exaggerated. And as Jules-and-Boo said upthread, it's the world we live in now so it's nigh on impossible to hold back the tide alone. Maybe better to embrace it and look at ways of helping your kids to adapt to it?

Agree with JoeLeg. The forum definitely has its ups and downs, but overall I still prefer it to other forums which are even more shouty (you want to see really vicious name-calling, go on mumsnet...). And sometimes it surprises me - I posted the link to the article about the women protestors in Dulwich Leisure Centre with a rather flippant title the other day because I was expecting to get lots of light-hearted responses, but it's turned into a thoughtful and interesting debate about gender rights. So we're not all nutters.

Actually jimbo1964, it's 13 for WhatsApp: http://parentinfo.org/article/whatsapp-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers And we're talking about secondary school kids here, so most of them are going on for 13 when they start in Year 7. Honestly don't think there's any harm in WhatsApp - it's just a way of messaging friends, and helps them keep in touch with primary school friends once they've gone their separate ways. Of course it can be open to bullying, exclusion etc, but you can say the same about face-to-face communication. It's just a tool. I'm less enamoured of Instagram as most of it's so inane, but I keep an eye on my daughter's account and a limit on the time she spends on it and generally it seems OK. She shows me the more ridiculous duck-face-pouting selfies that some of her classmates post and we share a laugh and an eye-roll about it. Though I do think it's important to keep an overview of what they're posting, especially when they're still young - I am quite surprised by some of the things I see on other kids' accounts...

Good luck with your crusade - but I think you will find it tough. I know one set of parents who have held out from giving their secondary-school child a smartphone. The result? She just borrows her friends' phones on a daily basis on the way to/from school to access her Instagram and WhatsApp accounts. Parents are blissfully unaware. (And her friends are getting a bit annoyed at constantly being asked to lend their phones.) When there's a will, there's a way. Surely better to educate about appropriate use, impose curfews, encourage self-regulation etc rather than an outright ban?

Topless ladies in pool shock protest! https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/topless-woman-male-only-swimming-pool-protest-gender-recognition-act-amy-desir-dulwich-south-london-a8261801.html

I believe you need to phone the individual schools direct to find out where you are on the waiting list (not sure about outside Southwark, but I think for the ones within Southwark you do). I've heard it's also worth keeping on phoning every so often to check progress and make sure the school knows you still want the place - right through the summer if necessary. As people have said upthread, it changes right up to the last minute. Good luck.

I'm not even a football fan but I'm going to be bringing my kids down on Saturday. I think it's outrageous what Meadow/Blake Morgan have done. DHFC are a local institution and deserve all the support they can get.

Phone HMRC on 0300 200 3100. Explain you need an up-to-date letter confirming you've opted out (I had an old one but I contacted Charter ED and apparently you need one from this year). I got mine within 48 hours of phoning, though they said it might take up to 2 weeks.

You are lucky. My 10-year-old practically weeps with mortification if I so much as sway my hips to the radio.

Ah, OK, no worries - in many ways it makes things much simpler if we know there's no chance we'll get offered a last-minute place - we can just relax and mentally embrace the school we've been offered (which we're also very happy with). Also just to respond to Monkey's post of 9:59 - Renata said above that Harris Girls is NOT undersubscribed this year (though Harris Academy Peckham is). I do think the tide of public opinion is turning with Harris Girls - for a long time it's been getting decent results but for some reason it was never embraced by ED. I hope that will now change.

Sol/Monkey, thank you both - that's very interesting. Food for thought, certainly...

Sol Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sydenham School > distance was shorter this year. I think the school > is gaining more popularity; It is a very good > school and the new facilities also help. I think > last year it was 2200 meters in the first round > and went up to 2743 by beginning of September. > Where did you get this info, Sol? I'd heard that last year the maximum Sydenham home-to-school distance was 2.2km but I'd assumed that was the final distance offered, not just the initial first-round offer. On the Lewisham website they phrased it as 'last place offered' (see https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/schools/school-admission/applying-to-start-secondary-school/Documents/SecondarySchoolAdmissionsTable1718.pdf). So I'd be interested to know if it actually ended up extending out another half a kilometre beyond that. I think we're too far away this year anyway given that the catchment has shrunk this year - and I'm not too bothered as luckily we're extremely happy with our second-place offer. But I'd be interested to calculate the likelihood that we might get offered a last-minute waiting-list place.

This is true. In addition, the people who've chosen to go private may well be on the waiting list for more than one state school (if they didn't get their first state choice). So the maths is weird - one kid moving from state to private can free up several places. I know one family who didn't get any of their state choices - they don't care because they are going private, but once they've accepted that private place then they will come off at least three state waiting lists. When you think of the number of kids who go private round here, it can make a dramatic difference to waiting lists once those kids are taken out of the system. One thing I would say that if you are reading this and planning to go private, do turn down your state place quickly so that those poor people who are desperate for that place can move up the waiting list ASAP! Huge sympathies to those of you in that position.

Surprised no one has mentioned mumsnet. Those mummies are vicious. And the language! (Clutches pearls)