dontpanic

Yes but that is your advantage- fresh eyes. Schools are always trying to find ways to engage parents, and it's hard to stick your head out as a new parent - I know, I have a year two child too. If there is a parents forum do go, and otherwise, I really hope the school offers parent events to allow new parents to ask questions like this? Also if the teacher is new, she may appreciate suggestions if they are made in a supportive way, or if couched as an offer of help? 'what can we do as parents to make home time easier?' Here's to calm home times HA

My kids are in reception at another school, but I do really implore you to say something to the school about it! Things stay as they have always been until someone engages and suggests a better way. Whatbyou describe sounds disorganised, but they may not have thought about what else they could do? They work for you (sort of) so call the teacher/ head of early years/head and ask how it's supposed to work: then you can either say it's not being implemented, or that it's not working that way... They won't know if you don't tell them.

If this is a concern do consider signing the 38 degrees petition: "The government?s plans to privatise and fragment our NHS are starting to take shape across England. In Southwark doctors are getting together to form a ?Clinical Commissioning Group? or ?CCG?. This body will make big decisions about what health services will be available to you and your family. Southwark CCG will be under pressure to do the Government?s dirty-work. But if enough local people sign the petition to Southwark CCG, we can persuade them to put us first - and protect our local NHS." Here's the link: http://action.38degrees.org.uk/ccg_found_o?postcode=Se15&submit=Find+your+local+petition

My Three small kids got their hair done there last week, and they were lovely. They all look cool boys now, they got star treatment from both stylists (not sure which - two women)

Ate this evening and 'twas lovely. Nice squid, kids enjoyed chicken with soy and rice. I am a seasoned kids-in-restaurants experimenter, and they passed my requirements easily; speedy service where it mattered, attentive, welcoming to kids, good children's food (a welcome change from fish and chips - however delicious). Good to have another good restaurant to add to the local list - which is already outstanding. I look forward ot visiting child free too.

Check out http://www.facebook.com/urbanforagerpeckhampickler the Peckham Pickler - everything you need to know about foraging in these parts. Blackberries are fair game to anyone by the way....

sorry to crash your thread, but If you are thinking of getting the professionals in then consider this lady: http://www.andreagrace.co.uk/ I have used her twice, a year apart, with my twins and son who is two years older. she came over to us the first time, and did a phone consultaion the second. Both times I found her incredibly helpful: she didn't have one single method, and tailoerd a few different strategies for us. We had a four A4 paged schedule fro every evening, which we tweaked over two weeks with telephone calls. It saved our sanity. I think it was ?240 or so for the visit. she has some good tutorials on her site in any case best of luck

HI, A 'have you ever done this' question. We have three children six and under. All will be at school from Sept. I am thinking about employing a 'proxy parent' nanny via an agency. the short history is that we have an opportunity-not-to-be missed to go away for a weekend, the first time ever without kids, after six years. Grandparents are either too far away, or a bit older than they'd like und unwilling to take on the responsibility of three kids over a weekend and a school pickup; and aunties and uncles all have small kids of their own, or are too far to take ours for the weekend. Has anyone aver gone away like this? We would be out of the country, and one set of grandparents could be here as well (just not in sole charge. I'd liek an agency with someone who has been checked and is really experienced, but I've only used childminders myself, interested to hear thoughts, thanks

For anyone else waiting on school places: Just to let you know that I have had great advice from the Southwark Schools Preference advisor. He actually knows what he's talking about and will contact the admission dept on your behalf.He is employed specifically by Southwark to be an impartial advisor. He knows all the rules, dates, how to appeal and so forth. If you ring or email him he is terribly helpful and will not fob you off like the call centre does. He helped us greatly, even by just expaining the rules properly, and how the system works. http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200279/parenting_support_and_courses/2476/school_preference_advice/1

Napisan is the only way with the smelly things in the machine. Currently toilet training twins and my life would t be worth living otherwise. It is non bio and doesn't bleach BTW. If its a carpet or non-wash item then bicarbonate of soda gets the smells out (puke on carpet, etc...). Lavender oil To banish the memory, then Gin!

I meant none as far as I know - and have no reason to believe not. Was speaking generally about Steiner and not specifically.

Also, creationism is not taught. I would be very unhappy about that.

If you want to know what a real Steiner school looks like do check out this video, or indeed visit our school on our friday open days: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MDSYxFpqxs&feature=youtu.be I am a parent at the school, so I can only report my own experiences and opinions. I can tell you something of the feeling, experiences and community involved in a Steiner school. I can tell you the following answers Curmudgeon: - do you allow your children to paint with black paint? I have not come across this issue.. Except in my own perfectly normal secondary school many years ago, but that's another story. - what part of the national curriculum do you plan to follow? The school does not follow the national curriculum. This does not mean the children don't leave school with a fully rounded and comnsidered education - by a mainstream or a Steiner definition, Steiner students do very well post-school. - do you start each day with dancing? No, but singing and dancing are integral to the school, as indeed they are in many mainstream schools, faith or non-faith; and indeed a lot of peoples lives as adults. You are referring to Eurythmy, which is a dance, and which Steiner schools practice. - do you categorise children by their body type. No - do you believe in anthroposophy? I don't personally, and I'm not unusual; some parents at the school do, some have completely different beliefs. Some teachers do and some don't. they don't 'teach' anthroposophy. - have you rejected the racist overtones associated with Rudolf Steiner. YES - please see http://www.steinerwaldorf.org/faqs.html#racism - what proportion of your existing children leave school unable to read fluently? I don't have figures for that. Its a misconception that Steiner education does not like books, or reading. Just today I have been at the school and seen how many children and staff have come in costume for World Book Day. The children celebrate narrative and storytelling before they learn to read, that is what is unusual (indeed I canot believe this is even seen as a strange way to teach children to read by some. It's been done forever across all education ). I must say in answer to some other questions, that the school is deeply commited to becoming a part of whatever community it finds itself in. The very bedrock of why parents want to be part of Steiner is that the school is a community. families become part of the school and vice versa. This surely can't be a bad idea? I speak as a parent who has experienced a reception year at a state school where there was no clear communication between parents and teachers. I will also add that you will find a wide diversity of children and parents at a Steiner school. We are not all hippies, and we all want the best for our children. There has to be room in education for a variety of approaches. Each child is so different, each responds differently; its not for some, but many find it is for them...

Note: our school asks you to read a brief on why TV not needed for very young before enrolling. That's all. We do get asked not to let them watch anything really crazy before an important day. Perfectly reasonable and a relief that they don't spend all day talking about XYZ TV programme. Just helps keep it all in perspective.

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I vote No Thanks. LL is unique, we have no need to use this as an excuse that it would attract more independents. We have a thriving street with lots of lovely independent shops. I think its a miracle given the state of most high streets, adnm we shoudl eb incredibly wary of changing the balance of that. More important is a guarantee that parking will remain free in and around Lordship lane as this is crucial.

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Hi All, We are the Waldorf School of South West London We are starting the process of applying to become a free school. This means we would be able to offer our education for free to locals in a new site. This site may well be in the East Dulwich or Southwark area. If you have young children, please consider taking a moment to fill out our survey so that we can see demand and what you want in this area. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FreeSchool We are currently temporarily based in Streatham, after losing a long term lease on Tooting Common, we are a small school with a very close and active community of parents and teachers. Our school has been in existence for over twenty years, and we are investigating all avenues for securing a site for our school that would allow us to make our ideal school building and environment. One of the priorities for this, in line with the Steiner ethos of the school, is to have close and constant access to green space...... To put us into context you may want to see our website: http://waldorflondon.co.uk/ . Briefly: we are applying for free school status, we are committed to supporting a broad range and diversity of families (we currently offer quite a few bursaries), we are very local-community based, and and we run playgroups for preschool children, both at our current premises and as an outside-based group in the local parks and woods. We have a diverse and active group of parents, and our clear vision for our future is to provide a great city-based education for our children.

I for one am all for removing them all! As in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space. - no signs, no kerbs, no bumps. Drivers have actually consider what they are doing and think about everything around them, not just the signs. Likewise pedestrians The bellenden triangle is drivng me bananas

http://alicewhiteart.com/home.html she does a life drawing class at Review bookshop on Bellenden Road

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Hello, new to area and forum. My son is at a local school, and I have two other children too. I wonder if anyone is interested or knows of anyone else who is already planning a free school via the Government's new scheme? I know that the primary schools in the area are oversubscribed, and there is always a lot of worry and discussion on the subject on this forum, so it seems a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the first blooming of this plan to make a new school for the area.... ... interested to see thoughts on this.