bawdy-nan

hooray for any kind of help with crossing the road there!

aha - found it! @newschdulwich

Hello - could you post the groups's twitter handle and link to a facebook page - I;d like to follow - thank you

I'm very confused now. Some posters seem to be suggesting that dogs should be on leads when using the tarmac road area - is that right? I use the park for cycling and walking and playing with the kids. When I cycle I go slowly (I know what it's like when you're a pedestrian and a bike whizzes past) but I find the dogs very very hard to predict especially when they're being walked in a group and off the lead. They're just playing, I know, but they run out without warning, run across the path, zig-zag etc etc and, obviously, don't heed a bell or a "look out". Even going at a leisurely pace I've nearly come a cropper because of a dog several times in the last week. I don't want to see dogs restricted in the park but I've been watching this thread with interest. This morning, when I had to break for a dog off the lead that suddenly changed direction and ran across my path nearly causing injury to it and me to fall off, I tried to talk to the dog owner who was very very defensive. I hope I wasn't rude, I certainly didn't mean to be. I just felt that there had been a near miss and I was concerned. I asked about the dogs on lead rule (I remain unclear) and the dog walker angrily assured me that she was in the right. I said that I knew it was a shared park and I tried to go slowly but that dogs were so unpredictable on the path. Like toddlers. she said. Which I suppose they are (if a little more bitey and fast). Also, I've had toddlers and, I suppose, if I were walking down a shared path I'd keep an eye on them and make sure they weren't likely to get hurt. I remember we'd often move onto the grassy areas because I knew there were fewer hazards and we could be more relaxed/

Great news that the target's been reached and thank you to the steering group for taking this on.

hear hear Shuggy

TE44 - you seem very agitated by this. I understand that there are wide ranging concerns about "free schools" (some of which I share). But, and perhaps I am being naive, it seems to be that in this instance the intention is to try and have a new secondary school established locally and the quickest and easiest mechanism to do this is via the free school route. I'm not sure what relevance the links you post have. Very happy to hear why they are important in this instance. As I understand it the process of setting up a free school involves demonstrating need and desire locally and then establishing it, either directly, or in partnership with an organisation already involved in education. So, locally, there are new schools being set up, or already set up, as free schools (Judith Kerr, or the new Harris primaries, or the school being established by Dulwich Hamlet Academy). AS far as I understand it, and I haven't studied this is depth so I may be wrong, the steering group of parents being set up by James will be made up of people who want the school and who are willing to put the time and effort in to securing it. I want the new school and would like it to be co-ed etc but I can't commit the time and energy to organise this. I'll support the process and am very grateful to those who will set it up and to James for curating the process. Ideally, I'd like a local authority school but I can't see how that can happen.

Peckham Multiplex is by far the cheapest and is very, let us say, relaxed.

Keep it simple, would be my advice. The childrens zoo at battersea park is lovely and not too overwhelming and there's a nice cafe by the lake

Really? So does the sign at the court lane entrance (on the right when the big area of grass appears) relate only to that particular area? Edited to say that I guess that's what you mean by designated areas - ie "Central area and the sports pitches" as per the byelaws. Its not very clear from the signs though.

Ah - sorry. I thought you were talking about Dulwich Park. I noticed a sign the other day and then noticed mostly dogs off the lead. I don't actually mind that and really dont mind "sharing" the park with all users but I agree with the poster who said that dogs shouldn't be off the lead if the owner can't guarantee control.

There are signs up in the park saying that dogs should be kept on a lead.

good idea steveo and thanks for the pointer Christine

From what I've seen and heard of her she's thoughtful, articulate, good at presenting and investigating ideas, approachable and has been a resident or at least participant in south London life for many years. I don't know how credible she is on economic policy ideas or, indeed, where she stands on the issues I'm interested in but I'd be interested in hearing more from her in politics.

I think its pretty impossible. I wonder how many allotment holders also have huge Dulwich gardens ... sigh

My kitchen is "awesome". I often hear the sharp intake of breath from visitors to it and I too, frequently, find my eyebrows raised as I survey the scene.

Hampton court good - lovely gardens and a maze Beaconsfield miniature village very good fun richmond park - for the deer seconded all the National Trust recommends

DuncanW - I agree with you - they do seem to be getting good results and, as I said in my post, when I visited I saw much to admire BUT the ethos and attitude towards education is a very particular one and I think that adding yet another Harris to the local mix would diminish the range of educational approaches on offer.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/filedownloading/?id=2175707&type=1 is the "requires improvement" report for the academy at peckham (Harris) whereas the Harris girls school on peckham rye is judged "outstanding". http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/filedownloading/?id=1958785&type=1&refer=0 Cgcp - unless I've made a mistake the report you limknto is from 2011 ... Edit: no, you're right I had found the Harris primary academy - my apologies

Duncan, I'm wondering if you have visited a Harris School? It's a very particular offer (strong discipline, over-riding emphasis on enterprise) not awful by any means and when I went I saw much to admire but it's quite different from other schools as good, if not better, at achieving "success" if by success you mean exam results. Maybe you don't mean that. I notice also that the Academy at Peckham still hasn't risen above "requires improvement". (Edited to say this is a mistake and the report I saw was for the Harris Primary in Peckham. As someone points out below the secondary is rated "good". My mistake and I apologise for it) As for the improvement to local schools in recent years - that's true and a London wide phenomenon which might be put down to "the London Challenge". At least, so says Michael Wilshaw the Head of OFSTED. http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21534863.

We've had one of ours for nearly 6 years now with replaced wheels and handles (which wore out through use). I LOVE that you can get replacement parts.

There aren't ANY LA secondary schools in Southwark at all the Charter is an Academy.

Cuban Breeze ...I don't think that East Dulwich residents are especially well-served with secondary schools, especially if you are a boy. There's an urgent demographic reason for trying to create a new school and now that Local Authorities have had this power taken away from them it is necessary for a non-LA grouping to step forward. I don't like it that the big chains (Harris, ARK etc) are hoovering up all the opportunities and effectively creating a mono-culture, but without the local accountability of LAs. I applaud James for stepping in here and trying to make the best of the situation. This is something upon which the community could have a direct impact unlike, say, the allocation of health resources. Doing it this way, rather than waiting for the big chains to step in, might mean that the resource remains locally accountable. You know what I would like? A co-ed, LA run comp. But we're not going to get that so we might as well advocate for the best we can. I think that, given that most of the people at whom this is addressed probably won't have had to think about secondaries yet and what their options might be, signing up 62 people in 6 days on an online forum is really not bad at all. James, is it worth asking some of the primaries if you can put a notice up on their noticeboards or in newsletters directing people to the forum?

the Dog Kennel Hill adventure playground is very popular

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha "To be honest when we moved here it was a bit rough" describes the William Rose butcher of East Dulwich 8 years ago. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha