bawdy-nan

Just to say that me and my daughter did this and it was painless, actually, I'd go to far as to say it was very interesting and fun! Daughter especially liked the cash earning part of it.

Iphone has very good easy quality voice record...but if your mum hasn't got a computer perhaps she won't have an iphoe either ... Do you want "quality" recordings? If so - you'll need to think about a mic and something to keep it still so that her voice is recorded and not just the room. You can prop a mic up in some books or look for a recorder that has decent built in mics (and again, prop it so that she is talking into the mic - not too close to it). This looks to me like a very decent round up of possible recorders (from a site about recording oral history). http://www.le.ac.uk/emoha/training/no3.pdf

Sounds like you're probably close enough to the Charter then - which is great. As other posters have said, children mostly do very well there and there's a lot to be said for attending your nearest school. I still think its worth looking around but sounds like you've a good chance.

Though a little unlikely that you'd get a place from Bermondsey but, hey

Maybe OP should read it before making a complaint or approach to school. That way you can also be on hand to discuss / reflect any issues or ideas your 10 year old might have. I think there's all kind of material used in schools of which I don't approve (cf the gobsmackingly masochistic anti-revolutionary "Giving Tree"; the depressing snobbery, sexism and know your place Christianity of CS Lewis; the banal depth free and badly written rip offs of books like Diary of a Wimpy kid )but the top end of primary school is when children's reading starts to fly and sometimes fall. I think that offering a really wide range of books (even ones linked to films and tv) is a great idea. At 10 children are becoming more exposed to the "adult" world both in their imagination and in their media / real world experience - practising their ideas and testing out their reactions in the context of literature is no bad thing, I think.

The thing that really helped us through the too much homework maths meltdowns was Maths for Mums and Dads http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maths-Mums-Dads-Rob-Eastaway/dp/0224086359 I agree with the insanity of so much homework when they're so little but a slow introduction over the primary years seems to have done wonders for my Yr 7's ability to organise themselves and work out what and how they need to do.

I'd really recommend going to see as many schools as you can to get a feel for the place. It also depends, I think, on your daughter. Is she musical and sporty? She might enjoy Kingsdale (mixed and nearby). Is she very science orientated? Sydenham might be for her (many more girls end up doing sciences than at Charter). There's also the new school being planned (either a HABS or Charter, depending on the outcome of the bids), is she academic and doing "well" or does she need more focused support. There's also, of course, the fact that "choice" is something of an illusion when it comes to schools but I must say that when we looked around for our now year 7 girl it was extremely heartening to see the offer of the local state schools.

awwwwww - this made me feel all nostalgic for the olden days of the EDF

Hello - really feel for you. It's exhausting and upsetting. When my eldest was 3 weeks she began crying for what seemed like endless hours (all afternoon and early evening) and nothing seemed to be wrong and I could do nothing to fix it. I found walking with her in a sling or walking with her in a pram helped a lot. Not sure if it helped with the crying but being out of the house and in the air helped me. My husband seemed to have a way with the burping - don't know if it was just steady big hands or a special technique. My husband, who had had children before, told me at the time that I should try not to worry too much because this would only happen for about 3 months. 3 months! He meant this kindly but when he said it I was in despair. He was right. Now I see why he said it. Things change, time passes, you will endure it and get through it and 3 months will feel like a short time. It doesn't whilst you're in it. I investigated all kinds of things - cranial oesteopathy, baby massage, singing, swaddling, taking baths together (that helped quite a lot) and wondered about reflux. None of them seemed to work especially and that feeling of not being able to "solve" the problem is really hard especially at a time when you and your world and your relationship with each other has changed. I promise you that it does get easier and there will be a time when you don't feel like what you really want is a massive pint of sleep. Good luck.

I'm a bit concerned about how I would get onto this at the Elephant (avoid the roudabout at all costs)but this looks like one of the best proposals I've seen for London cycling

no idea if it worked - both mine came at 2 weeks plus days) and I tried reflexology (and acupuncture and all manner of other things) but it is absolutely lovely and very, very relaxing, so would recommend for that reason alone.

actually the motion seems pretty straightforwardly accurate in its assessment of the situation but I guess that's why local politics makes me feel a bit queasy

southwark lib dems seem to be saying that labour were denying there was any need for more primaries (which is right, I think isn't it?) and that is why lib dms voted against new secondary - what an utter shambles "@swklibdems: Of course that is only half the story... Labour motion was party political & denied there is also a need for new primary schools."

I find it deeply depressing. It makes the process of local government look petty and self-serving.

Plex is great as long as its not a busy film and there aren't other busy films showing at the same time. Last time we went - we booked in advance but when we arrived (in good time - 45 mins to spare) were unable to see the film because the queue was so long the film had started before we were able to collect our tickets ...would be great if you could print off your tickets at home (like the picturehouses for example)

thanks parentsteeringgroup

It was Le Capyerou. It was a lovely campsite - and right on the river with a canoe place and a shady walk to a fabulous castle along the river (with great river swimming) and a nice shop in the village. We may have struck it very unlucky in the week we were there but it was unpleasantly awash with very beery, fighty types. They did indeed try to start a fight with an elderly gent / grandpa of some posher sorts who though that he ought to be able to drive his car through the section they'd barricaded off. It was also just so much busier than anywhere else we'd been and the roads were jammed. But the places we'd been to before were places like the Lot and the Western Pyrenees where we'd been used to much quieter places and roads. I expect if you get it right (like Sanne Panne did) it can be lovely. I have a friend who stays with a friend further north and reports a quieter experience. I don't think I;ll be going back though - more places to try!

If I were you I'd steer clear of the Dordogne bits that are very popular and aim for somewhere a bit quieter. We went the year before last as part of a french camping tour and, whilst in some respects lovely, it was ram-jam-packed with Brits on holiday. Our campsite (chosen from the Cool Camping book) was pretty and by the river and near two castles (so meant we didn't much have to venture out into the jammed roads and could walk and canoe) but it was a little bit what I remember costa del sol hols with the folks when I was a kid - leery, beery and fighty groups. There are loads of lovely places in France - I'd recommend the Lot or the absolutely gorgeous island of Noirmoutier (further north than Ile de Re and bicycle and beach heaven)

Hello I am unable to make the meeting but I would very much like to know what size the school is anticipated to be (ie what the year on year intake would be) and if the school would be run in the manner of the other schools in the federation. If someone could ask at the meeting and report back I'd be very grateful. Many thanks

Many thanks for all the offers - there has been a change of plan and I no loner need it ... (!)

Hello - I'm helping a friend move (quickly) and she has a baby (23lbs - 1 year old) -can anyone help me out with a carseat?

What about a wooden bus with wooden people. Our son had one of these at the age and it was such a favourite (taking them out, putting them in etc etc ) http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Toys/Preschool-Toys/Universe-of-Imagination-Big-Red-London-Bus(0047021)

yup

Kingsdale is banded lottery with scholarship places too

Its pretty standard I think. A pain in the bum when you're working but probably the right thing for the children: it's a big step and easing them in gently is a good idea, I think. They're likely to be quite tired at first and will probably welcome the chance to decompress with a parent around. It will only happen this once. Is there a chance you could take some of your unpaid parental leave (of course you may have used it up)?.