Coach Beth

The Peckham Academy where they hold the Monday after school dance and acting classes has a big parking lot - not sure if people bringing kidsto the classes (we don't have a car so we either bus it or walk down - we always make it with 5 - 10 minutes to spare) can park there but I would think you could. Ring Theatre Peckham to ask them about this though.

Hiya - my son (who is 5 and in year 1) loves Street Dance - he does this with Theatre Peckham, who use the Peckham Academy for their classes on Monday nights - the classes start on Mondays at 4:15pm.

Hi there, As I've mentioned before on the forum, my son goes to Goose Green and we have been very happy with the school and his progress. He was in reception last year and is now in Year One. I feel the school gets the right balance between meeting the children's wider emotional needs (as evidenced by the school being the only school in Southwark to be awarded an 'Every Child Matters award - the woman who devised the Every Child Matters Framework came to the school to assess it for the award and she was extremely positive about the whole school) and his academic needs. His reading and handwriting are coming along very nicely indeed - and he is reading at Level 3 (Oxford Reading Scheme) The Headmistress, Mrs. Marland is indeed there on a permanent basis - she can been seen in school playgrounds most mornings and after school talking to parents and students. The school has turned around a great deal - and I think another piece of evidence is the recent school Sats of the year 6 pupils where I've heard through the grapevine the school came in at 12th place in Southwark, the highest of all the local schools I've heard (but when the figures are published we can confirm this). I've also heard that the attendence rates for the school are now amongst the highest in Southwark. Another great thing is the after-school activities - these are subsidised by the school so that pupils from year 1 upwards can take part in sport, art, drama and ICT - all for ?16.50 a term (except guitar classes and the soon to be offered keyboard lessons which are slightly higher - particularly guitar as the students take home an instrument). Unlike another nearby school which has sub-contracted the after-school activities out so they now cost parents in the region of ?80 a term! There is an Eco-Warriors club for budding environmentals and academic/gifted students do receive particular attention (i.e. brightest maths students have maths lessons with the Head and a parent with an older child told me a few of the scientifically gifted children went on a special trip to the science museum in a small group with a teacher) Anyway, I better stop now - I have work to get on with but I highly encourage parents to look around, ask questions and see for yourself what you think about the school.

I grew up in the 70's - watched TV CONSTANTLY - my mother was doing her PhD in psychology at the time and well, me and my brother were put in front of the telly alot so she could get on with it! I have to say that I've never worried about my son watching telly really. We don't have strict rules about it in our house (and let's just say that we would way exceed 20 minutes of having Cbeebies on) and I've never really worried about it particularly now that he is five and he always prefers to do other things - given a choice between TV and going out the the playground or romp around the garden or playing with friends he never wants to watch TV. Funnily enough, he has a friend who comes to visit who isn't allowed to watch much TV and she often asks us to put it on - and my boy will get upset and say to her that she has come to play with him not watch TV.

Thank you Ann for your lovely comments! Yes, we were all very conscious to do a through clean up but as the old saying goes 'many hands make light work' and the PTA carnival committee was able to retire to the pub by 6pm after clearing the green - which was only possible due to all the volunteers who helped to clear up - not to mention the fantasitic volunteer drivers who loaded things in the van (donated by John Allen flowers) and took things back to the school. It was a fantastic day - great atmosphere with kids, parents, teachers, residents all joining in the fun. Thanks to all the community for your support of Goose Green Primary School!

Yes, agree with all of the above. October is a long time away relatively - just leave it for a month and come back to it afresh. Like people have said, when they are ready, it only takes a month or so. If it isn't a school nursery, they might be ok with her not being trained. At my son's nursery, the staff did a sterling job of working with the toddlers being trained and I think it helped as all the toilets at nursery are kid sized. Plus the kids see each other all the time using the toilets which is an incentive. If it is a school nursery, I know that they don't do this and they don't change nappies either. But a friend of mine just used to put a nappy on her son anyway as he wasn't ready for toilet training when he started at 3. She felt the hours he was in the school nursery was relatively short - 2.5 hours that he could cope with a wet nappy and I think she just crossed her fingers he wouldn't have a poo in his nappy!!

I highly recommend this guy - did a brilliant job with my son's party - keep them very well entertained and they loved it! Managed the hyeractive and rowdy boys - including my son - very well! http://www.nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk/adventureparties.htm

I just got back late last night from a trip to Amsterdam. It was a working trip to meet up international partners of a project I'm involved with around youth engagement in leadership and also, I took part in a Deep Democracy conflict resolution training course!. Anyway, much we were discussed at our meeting and workshop was about needing to come together as communities - both internationally AND in specific locality. So it was wonderful to come back and find out this news about my son's school which feels like a wonderful case study in community building - and wonderful to see the forum full of congratulations from others in the area. Wonderful!

Good luck everyone - it is a stressful time, that's for sure! One of my friends did send her child to a school they were allocated and then moved him half-way through the year to GG - he settled in very well, no problems. I think at that age Toast they are fairly adaptable - one of the things that helped him was that he already knew a couple of other children in reception so maybe if you develop some weekend friendships with children going to the local school you want for him, then when/if you are offered a place, it won't be that stressful as he'll know other children there already. Anyway, I was in the ice-cream shop on Melbourne Grove today with my son (a great after school treat!) and I ran into a couple of parents of children going into reception, they are both sending their Goose Green and we had a great old natter - they are looking forward to getting involved with the PTA. One of the things they are doing is meeting up with other parents of reception age kids going to GG over the summer - so the kids will enter reception knowing each other. That's what I did with some other parents and it's really nice as they have a group of friends already. Once you know what school you'll be sending you children to, I do think it's a really good thing to do.

here, here!

You know what would solve all this mess? If everyone were simply allocated one school. No choice. No putting down 4 choices. Because it is the illusion of choice that is causing the problem. Everyone should simply get a letter saying 'This is your school'. End of story. Then all schools would have a proper mixed intake I believe - all schools would be seen as fairly equal and acceptable. Ofted clearly doesn't work. As Mistic Nutmeg points out it is merely a guideline and you don't know what will happen in a couple of years when schools previsously marked as good are re-assessed using the newer stricter criteria. And what I find interesting is that a school like Bellenden - which has a glowing Ofsted actually - is routinely shunned by many in the trendy Bellenden area and residents of parts of East Dulwich it is near. If people were truly swayed by Ofsted, they would be flocking to that school! But since they are not, there must be other factors influencing their decision. People are also too willing to dismiss schools without even giving them a chance - I was happy when I was allocated a place at Goose Green last year, it was on my list, it was our nearerst community school and I liked the vibe/teaching/ethos.

Actually, if you just put 2 choices, then that gives the LEA license to put you anywhere in Southwark if you don't get in on the criteria for your first two schools. That is what happened to some people last year who assumed that if they just put two choices down - there 1st and 2nd - the LEA would be obliged to put them there. Instead, they got sent schools which were miles and miles way - we are talking down near Queens Road Peckham and also near Red Post Hill. Putting down just 2 choices is not a good idea. Just to let people know for next year. Nor is putting down 4 schools which are oversubscribed - or which you know you are unlikely to get - i.e. Dulwich Village Infants if you live near Peckham Rye for instance. Somewhere on your list you should put your nearest community school - that is the school that your child should have the best chance getting into. Unfortunately, as we have seen even that doesn't work if you are in the 'Bermuda Triangle' for primary schools. But you have a much better arguement if you have actually put down your nearerst community school and haven't gotton in than if you haven't.

I absolutely agree with Clux. It is really not helpful for politicans to make promises that aren't possible to keep - no wonder people are disappointed. If most parents in ED are putting down Goodrich and Heber as their first 2 choices, realistically not all of them are going to get those schools - even with the extra buldge class at Heber. There are absolutely not enough places at these two schools for all the parents who want to go there. I dread to think what will happen when the siblings of those in the current buldge class come to go to reception themselves - and as Cora points out, schools with already little playground facilities are going to find themselves completely overwhelmed.

I agree with Mrs.Lotte - put your name on all the waiting lists and see what happens in the shakedown. Even our friend who was first allocated John Donne, and then Rye Oak (where her child was for a term), then got a place at Goose Green which she was glad to accept as she and her child knew more people and they were happier with the school generally. So, there will be movement - although at the more popular school like Heber and Goodrich less so. In regards to Bessemer Grange, I know two people who were allocated a space there last year, they were unsure at first and then went to see the school and are now happy with it - however it IS awkward to get to - that is true. But the school itself is supposed to be very good. And you can do your shopping at Sainsbury's very easily as well after school - so that's a bonus. The problem with Goodrich is that it is in an area where there are lots and lots and lots of young families and it so over-popular - not everyone can get a place. They put on a buldge class last year which went some way to solving the problem then - however, because it had the bulge last year, they obvisously couldn't put it on again - which effects parents this year. And then in the next couple of years, all the siblings from the budge class last year will have a serious effect on that school again.

I had the same problem when my boy was younger - it's fine now he is 5 although I am looking forward to the day that I can sleep past 6 or 7am. I have heard that years of waking up early leaves parents unable to sleep in however! My partner swears by Valendian herbal tea - he drinks a cup before bed and I've noticed that he sleeps much better. Good luck!

Yes, my son has been at Goose Green this reception - and we're totally happy with it. Since he started there, we were offered a place at both Dog Kennel Hill and St.John's on the waiting list system and we turned both down. Of course, it wouldn't have been that big an upheaval to move him since it is only reception and he knew other children at both schools from nursery - but we both felt our son was doing so well, and we were both impressed by the changes the new Head has brought in, we just turned both those places down flat. In my book, it's better to be with a school that is working hard to be on the up - your child can only benefit. My son is reading well, enjoying himself, socalising. I'm on the PTA which is growing and full of lively, energetic parents. And several people have said in the past, the kids at Goose Green are really nice!! At cake sales, we've had Year Six Students cheerfully pitching up and helping. At the spring enterprise fair where all the classes were given ?10 to make things and then sell them it was a great atmosphere. If you get offered a place at Goose Green, then be pleased! But the reality is with the waiting lists, like us, you will no doubt be offered somewhere else once the school year starts - if the school isn't working for you or your child, you can move them. But none of the reception parents this year took that option - and I think that says alot.

She was probably the same woman who came round my door last Saturday night - late around 10:30am. As I was on my own with my small child, I didn't let her in. She said she was a neighbour from across the rooad and was having a problem with her flat. I said what number and she said number 41. I said I wasn't prepared to open the door to someone this late at night and she just went - no goodbye or thanks so I figured something was up - although I was abit un-nerved. And it wasn't till the next day and was walking down the road that I realised that there is no 41 on our road! I live near Coplestone as well.

Hello - got through and they said that they had to carry out an 'emergency shutdown' in the area at about 12:30pm and they are hoping to get the supply up and running soon. The worse case scenario is that it won't come on untill about 6:30pm

am on the phone to them listening to crap music as i type this!!!

We have no water either and we live near bellenden road.

Roy (about a cartoon boy growing up in a real family) is absolutely brillant! And great for adults too! He also likes Martha Speaks - about the talking dog.

I went out with my baby to 'Mon Peit Chou' when he was a couple days old - with my partner and friends. Felt extremely wobbly but it felt good to be outsid and sitting down once I got to the cafe!

Yes, agreed - this should move to a new thread. The orginal thread was about lack of local school places with children having to travel very far for a primary school place. As I understood it, the parents who started this thread like toast - where concerned that their children didn't get a place at ANY school inthe local area and had to travel a distance of several bus journeys. This is turning into a different debate.

At the end of the day, we all have to make the best choices we can with the knowledge we get from a range of sources - looking at all the variables not just Ofsted, but also meeting teachers, seeing schools, and meeting students. As Cora says, ALL our local schools should be supported to improve and then also maintain standards - so that all local schools serve every child in the community just as well.

You make an assumption that because a school was judged good by Ofted several or in some cases many years ago, it would still be judged good today by Ofted. For example, Goose Green wasn't inspected for about five or six years - and obvisously, things went wrong but no one knew. Dog Kennel Hill went down in the last assessment as did St. John's - there were many, many years between the Ofted inspection. Personally, I'm happier sending my child to a school which is constantly being assessed than a school which might be sliding but no one realises this! Again, I point to Heber - a school that went into special measures and now is one of the most popular schools - why? Because the school was forced to turn around, raise standards, etc. I would also like to suggest that if some of the schools which have been assessed at good or outstanding schools have their resources stretched through having year after year of budge classes, how can they possibly stay that way? I think it's an invitation for disaster myself - and it will be interesting to re-visit this whole discussion in 6 years and see which schools are the ones that are considered outstanding and which aren't.