bawdy-nan

I'm shocked that you think the greengrocer on northcross road is "a bit ropey" - if you mean pretty traditional I think its the best shop we have in East dulwich.

And its not as if the harris academies have a particularly good track record either. The Academy at Peckham is one of the schools designated as sufficiently ineffective that they are being threatened with being force to become ... academies!

I think that even mainstream church schools don't teach creationism though they might touch on it as an idea and a story. I know that some of the new academies have been teaching creationism in the sens ethat it is put forward as an idea to be taken seriously alongside the scientific theory of evolution. I think, though I am not sure, that all state schools are obliged to have an "act of worship" every day and, I think, that this is supposed to christian. Parents are allowedto withdraw their children. Personally I am happy with the teaching of the christian creation story - its a narrative that underpins a lot of our literature and there are lots of stories about how the world began. You might say that evolution is also one such narrative though, it should be accorded the highest status because we're reasonable and make decisions based on evidence. I am not anti faith but i'm deeply sceptical and whilst i find most faith schools seem to place a greater emphasis on moral values there is no reason why this should be so. Atheists, agnostics and humanists are equally capable of moral and philosophical thought. I find the idea of the school described worrying. Ideally I would like to see all religion kept out of education except as a subject to study (that is to acknowledge that many people do hold religious beliefs.) I have been trying to find out what the requirement (in terms of curriculum) is in relation to the teaching of creationism and its been difficult to turn anything up - I'd be interested to hear from any teachers on this - is there any guidance?

faith schools don't necessarily exclude people of other faiths or none. Most of the local church schools don't have faith as a criteria of entry. Some allocate a number of places on religious grounds but not all places.

hmmm - I didn't rate it on my last visit. Caeser salad full to very brim with stale spongy croutons - not tasty. Kids meals from dullsville which isn't always a bad thing but soggy pizzas is rubbish. Tiramasu and coffee delish. I really want it to be good and think a halfway decent italian would be marvellous.

oh - I don't know - we nearly did the same the other day. Identical crap woolies scooter but my daughter picked the wrong one. It was only when I spotted that the crap scooby doo sticker seemed to have refreshed itself that we took it bvack and retrieved ours. Mistakes do happen...

you can trade door to door with a pedlar's licence I think. Its not illegal if you have one. In fact there are moves afoot to make this the only way for pedlars to trade - ie to stop them trading in town centres.

It is very interesting to hear from a parent and one who clearly believes in the school passionately. I suspect that this is exactly the kind of attitude - pride in the school community - that will really make a difference to the school. I can understand the frustration at parents who use the nursery and then skedaddle but, having read the OFSTED report, the issues aren't around "academic results" rather behaviour and management of poor behaviour in the school. There was some mention of dull lessons and teaching that didn't drive the lessons forward but the thing that struck me most powerfully was that when the inspectors spoke to the children they described feeling afraid at school and also that if they did speak out it wouldn't make any difference and that they wouldn't be listened to. "Some pupils complain that they do not feel safe at school because they feel intimidated by others. They report that they are either too scared to tell the teachers for fear of further reprisals or find, from past experience, that their concerns will be ignored if they do so. The management of behaviour is too variable. Rules are not consistently enforced and systems are not clearly set up. Consequently, there is too much low-level disruption, which slows the pace of learning in some lessons. When teaching is slow and unengaging it also increases the levels of pupils' disaffection and passivity. Behaviour is unsatisfactory, because of this and because too many pupils move around the school with undue care and consideration for others, they run the risk of causing accidents. This, and pupils' weak social skills, indicates that social, moral, spiritual and cultural education are inadequate. Pupils do not learn enough of the necessary social skills that will help them to relate to each other and form positive relationships. This is inhibiting their ability to play a role in the local and wider community." I really, truly hope that GGmum is right and that this isn't the case. The description the report gives is awful and I would never consider sending my children there on the basis of that description. I can see, from GG mum's post and also from some of the report that there is much to value about the school but it is worrying that the school (from the report) appears to think it is keeping children safe very well. It certainly doesn't sound like the old fashioned discipline ggmum describes.

Hence his Munira Mirza appointment, I presume. I'm interested to find out what he's actually doing ... keeping his head down for David I expect. Much asI dislike the man, I has hoped, at least, for a bit more radical bike action from him.

They should ditch the carpark plan and link up with a carpool provider.

Louisa - I don't know very much about the secondary schools. I've heard good things about Kingsdale but, according to the Southwark News, its being threatened with being turned into an Academy along with the Peckham Academy, which is odd, as it is already an Academy.. Will it be an Academy Academy? What next, if it fails, an Academy Academy Academy... As for Goose Green and the Ofsted reports. I agree that an Ofsted report doesn't give the full measure of a place but it does take the temperature and the report, which I've read, was pretty damning in the aspects I care about very strongly. I don't know how to solve its problems, I know there has already been a tremendous effort.

TarquinP, have you followed your own advice and actually read the Ofsted report. There were, indeed,big thumbs up for the nursery and recption with descriptions of children "running eagerly" in to learn. That later on in their school careers these children could expect dull lessons and to walk their corridors in fear feeling unsafe and that, even if they plucked up the courage to tell, wouldn't really be listened to, is shocking. That the school "measured" itself as excellent at caring for the children when the inspectors, by actually talking to the children, found they felt unsafe and often harried, is awful. The last bit of the report - the "letter to the pupils" is very sad.

I really like Chener books. They've a good choice, are friendly and helpful, have great window displays. I don't give a monkeys about the signage or whatever else people moan about. I wish they took book tokens but I'm assuming there's a reason they don't... Good luck to them

haven't they a;ready been in special measures and wasn't there already a major revamp - new teachers, new head etc. I thought they had been doing really well at turning things around - didn't they, one year, have some of the highest "value added" measures in the country? I notice also that two of the academies in southwark are being threatened with being forced to become ... academies ... eh? eh? eh?

I am delighted that people are being fined for using bus lanes. I am also not so sympathetic about the car parking fines though I can see that it is annoying and can feel unfair ND very very annoying when signs aren't clear and you are trying to obey the rules. I've been a car owner and a non-car owner and I've been fined and felt furious / sheepish. (Paid my dues but mis-didplayed the ticker - kerching, paid my dues but wafted ticket from dashboard when shutting door, kerching, kerching). I'm a pushbike plus car club girl these days. As for Kings I go by public transport - bus when not urgent (there's loads), cab when quicker access required, ambulance in an emergency. Its an inner city hospital and can't be expected to have masses of car parking space. I do think that if Southwark are profiting so well from vigourously enforced car parking fines they should also be doing something more positive to reduce car use - free car parking for car club users, subsidised car club membership etc. THey could do something exciting and interesting instead of grabby and dull. The fact is that, in London, you mostly don't need a car at all, even with kids (and they are friendlier, fitter and less wan if they walk) but sometimes its the best option for a journey or just a necessary luxury

I agree that anecdotal reports don't prove much but I was talking about the findings of the Parliamentary Select Commitee that looked into ISTCs as well as government data released under FOI requests. Which bit are you not convinced by and I'll try and dig out the data for you? I don't think there is any evidence at all that the independent sector delivers better outcomes for patients. I think the most positive thing to be gleaned is that patients treated by the independent providers had positive things to say about there being more staff about and the toilets and bathrooms being clean. Given that each procedure carried out in these centres was costing the nhs far more that the same procedures carried out in nhs hospitals and clinics this doesn't seem surprising. The govt is keen to expand the role of the private sector within the nhs - I' not talking about BUPA hospitals here and as far as I know they aren't talking about patients being able to "top-up" their care (as the case of the cancer patinet who died recently after being refused treatment because she chose to buy some drugs privately demonstrates - Alan Johnson was vehement in his assertion that to allow top-ups would lead to a two tier system). The expansion of the private sector in the current reforms means that private sector companies are being used to provide "normal" nhs services and the government wants this to grow. The private sector - multinationals like United Health - are keen to step in to drink from the guaranteed income streams promised without delivering more choice or better value for money as the arguments in favour of the system say they will.

The NHS already operates with some provision from "independents" and if Lord Darzi has his way this will be enormously increased. (Note the announcements this week on "failing" hospital trusts which are to be taken over by the private sector.) The much trumpted ISTCs which were introduced supposedly to increase capacity did no such thing, had 25% of its staffing provided by NHS staff on "secondment", per procedure cost much more than treatments provided by the NHS and failed to provide adequate data in order that clinical standards could be measured and yet they are bing used as the model upon which the new reforms will be built - ie the expansion of the role of the private sector. The recently departed Commercial Director of the NHS - Chan Wheeler (who said he left to "spend more time with his family" rather than assist enquiries into the fraid trial being faced by United Health, his previous employers in the states and bidders and providers of much "independent sector" treatment in the UK) said in his departing statement that he was delighted to have massively increased the potential for the commercial sector to deliver services in the nhs and that the continuation down that road was now inexorable. Whatever the idealogical stance there is simply no evidence that the private sector delivers services more efficiently, better or with better value for money. The Select Committee last year turned no evidence that the ISTCs had met the government's stated aims and there gave been numerous foi request answers that have demonstrated that the data shows quite the opposite.

its not as it goes - I have been known to be bawdy though I am not, as yet, a nan I don't think people should "learn a lesson" from being attacked on the street. People with mental health problems are very likely to be physically attacked - sometimes because they are "annoying". I find this situation horrific and I am very shocked by sweet girl's attitude.

I assume your moniker is ironic?

Yes, I can see that.

I can see that the whistling and unpredicatable behaviour can feel annoying and threatening and the leery shouting of the people being singled out in Whately Road likewise. I have sympathy with the people who feel diretcly threatened by the proximity of unruly behaviour I can see that having to avoid stretches of your own road for fear of abuse would be very stressful. I'm interested and a little disturbed by the vehemence of some people's reactions to these people. I've come across the residents of WR once or twice on the bus and they are loud and, it seemed to me, not particularly well equipped to negotiate their way through the world. The clubbing together to set clear distinctions between "us" and "them" on this forum isn't suprising, I suppose. People are frightened by the idea that they might slip out of their lives and into the underclass through illness or ill-luck, but I find the shrill assertions against the anti-social behaviour of these outsiders a bit much. Anti-social behaviour isn't the preserve of misfits and the mentally disturbed as this weekends middle-class twatfest on the tube indicated. I wonder if a horde of mad asbo wielding benefits claimants had swarmed onto the circle line with cans of special brew there might have been more of an outcry.

Aw come on - its not earth shatteringly brilliant but its a lovely place to sit outside and while away a morning. I've had to wait sometimes and sometimes I've gone up to the often rather young, often very sweet (never very dirty!) waiting staff and asked them to get on with it. They ususally have. I agree this is not the ideal situation but I'm with oblivion on this one. Its a place for mooching which sometimes requires a little light mithering. If I'm feeling rushed I don't go in - if I want to chill and chat then its perfect.

HFW says he can get food for a family of four from judicous use of a chicken? Pah! I say, you profligate fop - make it go at least 3 if not 4 meals: 1. remove all limbs and serve meal one - roast torso of chicken (retain carcass) and any pickings (assume family of 2 adultsand 2 smallish chidlren) - serve with lots of veg and potatoes and bread sauce 2. cook drumsticks, thighs and wings in a jerk / other marinade - serve with plenty of pitta and salad 3. pick to smithereens your torso of chicken retain pickings and make stock from the picked carcass (onion, carrot, celery bones etc) use stock to make a stew comprising the most delicious stock in the world bulked out with veg and lentils or barley or both (jazz up with a small bit of bacon and chopped parsley if you're feeling flush) 4. use remaining stock and chicen pickings to make make a chicken noodle soup As far as cooking on a low budget goes there is a very big difference in cooking for just yourself student stylee (fun with noodles and no protein before going out) and trying to feed a family day in and day out. Of course it is possible but - heck, I admire the person that does it every day,does it well and makes it appetising and interesting.

Oxford Circus - commute 1 1/2 hours including nursery drop off (15 minute walk), school drop off (30 - 35 minute walk) bus ride to Brixton then tube. Current commute about the smae but involves nursery walk, bus journey to waterloo for school holiday club drop off then tube to Oxford circus. Ideally I would like a motorbike and side car.

Of course you can manage to eat "well" on not very much money its just that it is extremely labour intensive, requires immense and ongoing efforts on planning and it gets very very very boring. Making your own flatbreads, ekeing out mashed potato and carrots and lentils, wondering if you can afford a garlic bulb, having vegetable curry again, making that leftover pizza slice do another meal, having "fun" with breadcrumbs, and mince and eggs (preferably not in the same meal). Recipes with more than a couple of ingredients become recipes to avoid becasue you're often starting from scratch each time you think about cooking. If you've got spare cash you've usually got "spare" interesting cupboard items with which to jazz up the monotony. Even if you've got "nothing in" if you've had money for a while there's usually the odd tin of anchovies, some pasta, tinned tomatoes, decent oil, some flour, some cheese etc to rustle up a meal. After a while food becomes a chore and a challenge not a pleasure.