Coach Beth

I bought my flat from them about 12 years ago - they were good to work with and since they've been around at least that long, they aren't a fly by night operation.

Cut Throat in Peckham - a Contemporary Barbers and Salon. David, who used to work at the Galleon and Wills B now works there doing both women and men's hair. Very cool and hip! Right next to Cafe Viva as well so you can have a coffee and cake while he get's his cut done! http://cutthroatlondon.com/

We have no plans to leave - my son is 11 and in year six. He has friends who he was at nursery with and is going to the new ED charter with kids he has known since nursery. He regularly plays football in the neighbourhood - pretty much every day after school at either Goose Green playground or at Warwick park. In fact, he has made lots of friends with kids from different primary schools merely from playing football in the park. Like Cora, we have a small 2 bad flat - but it's manageable for the 3 of us and having a garden is helpful. Location is more important for us. I like the fact that I walk down Lordship lane and always seen and talk to at least someone I know and I like the fact that my son knows lots of kids in the neighbourhood. I can see a situation where, if young families who can't afford to buy and are renting and paying crazy rents will be moving out more and more. At 45, I feel like I was one of the last generations who was able to buy her first property at a reasonable price - and my partner was also fortunate. So we don't have a big mortgage to worry about - we are both self-employed and that's another reason to stay put in our flat rather than upgrade to a house where we would have to take on a mortgage. Yet as prices go up and up and rents go up and up maybe we will see more families and people moving out. But in my age cohort I see lots of people staying around - I noticed if people were going to move out, they did so when the oldest was in years 1 or 2 or 3... after that, much less movement I think.

I tried everything - including K&O and also the plug in. Nothing worked permanently. The exterminator recommended getting a cat as the best possible permanent solution. I like cats but my partner had never been that keen but feeling downtrodden with the mice and hearing the recommendation from the professional he agreed and off we went to Battersea. BEST THING WE EVER DID - the cat caught a mouse in her first week! Her scent and prowling of the flat is clearly a deterrent and we haven't seen any sign of mice since her first kill so it's a pretty humane solution (except for her first victim but at least it was a natural death - hopefully over fairly quickly). Partner has been won round and likes the cat and our son is happy to have a pet. There was an item about the Foreign Office adopting a cat and apparently many old government buildings have cats because they are the best and most effective pest control/mouse deterrent there is.

I can recommend Stephen Sheppard - I had a muddy, neglected patch at the back of my garden which hadn't been landscaped and he sorted it out beautifully. His number is 07970731656.

I just rang them up a few minutes ago - got through to an adviser within 5 minutes and spoke to an adviser who has authorised the letter to be sent to me - it should arrive within 3 weeks she said. Have your National Insurance number ready as they need it. They said on the recording if you need it for housing benefit or another reason you can show your bank statement but just ignore that and hang on for an adviser - they will send the letter out if you need it to confirm your child's secondary school place.

Very true landsberger. I can't quite understand why though, it has some of the best results for boy's schools in London, fab premises (with a swimming pool), is smaller (only 5 year seven classes as opposed to 8 that other secondary schools have). I get some people would be put off the religious ethos - it is fine for us though...

Yes, I just checked online! We feel very happy here - no disappointment to report for the newspapers as we were offered a place through Southwark Admissions St. Thomas the Apostle which we liked VERY much for the caring ethos, outstanding results and really impressive teaching staff (we're not Catholic but the school takes about 50% non Catholic students) and we got Charter East Dulwich whose new temporary site seems really great which is much more fit for purpose for a proper secondary school education, new teaching staff who all seem really experienced and our only dilemma is choosing which one but our boy will have the final say in this one!

We go to Tynemouth in the North-East every year since our son was very little and we don't have a car The metro runs all along the coast from Newcastle making it extremely easy to get from the mainline station to this lovely sea-side town - you can also get off at Cullercoats which is another lovely town. Tynemouth has a couple of beautiful sandy beachs - with Longsands also having a super beachside cafe. There is also a small Aquarium, a mini-golf course and a big bouncy castle park. There is a small Cooperative where you can get all your basic groceries (if you are going self-catering which I recommend). Hop on the Metro or you can also get a bus into Newcastle where you can go to lots of childfriendly places including the Centre of Life and the Baltic Art Gallery. You can also get a ferry over to South Shields where there is an amusement park.

Sounds like Nunhead Choir is going from strength to strength - I just ran into a friend who moved to Nunhead and she is keen to try you out. Do you still have spaces for Altos and Sopranos or do you have a waiting list?

Oh yes, we'll be there! This is such a great shop - fantastic to have a local music shop on our doorstep so everyone do go and support it!

Didn't join in the quiz with my friend but it definately looked like everyone doing the quiz was having a great time!

We used a combo of snap traps and poison over the years - sometimes getting rid of them but always came back. Despite getting exterminator and getting holes filled up an blocked... we never had an infestation which would have meant they would have been nesting and living in our flat... but it seems like we had mice more often than not over the years.... Anyway, my partner used to have an adamant 'no cats policy' but our losing battle with mice broke him. We just got a cat. Brilliant. Caught one mouse in her first few days... no sign of any since. And I think they will keep away smelling her scent and if they do attempt to make a comeback, she'll hunt them down with no mercy.

Unfortunately, under US tax law, US nationals need to declare if they are signatories on any joint or organisational accounts. So yes, strictly speaking, they need to send these out to all organisation and club accounts. I would just ignore it frankly or send it back and say there are no US nationals on your bank account.

Adrian is a local photographer who does photos for local schools and he is fab! His main work is as a freelance fashion photographer but he has been building up a small sideline in school photos. His email address is: [email protected] The problem re cost however is that school photographers are cheaper because they can set up the camera, lights and background in a temp studio in the school and then see lots and lots of children in one or two days which keeps the cost down. So it's unlikely you can get it as low cost as school photos I think.

Actually, I think there is an excellent chance of local children getting into Deptford Green - which I visited last night and I would put it ahead of Haberdashers because of the amazing facilities which are much further ahead of most schools including Habs and energy/values/commitment of the whole teaching team. And I was extremely impressed with St Thomas - although we are not Catholic (we are Quaker) this will be one of our top choices (spoke to the Head and approx. 50% of their intake are non-Catholic) and the fact that my son could get a bus there in 12 minutes or cycle there from East Dulwich is very appealing. Harris Boys is also a very good choice for many - many friends of mine have children in years 7 & 8 who are very happy there. We will put it down but we preferred St Thomas and Deptford Green.

St Thomas the Apostle - Nunhead (Hollydale Road) - Catholic School but approx 50% of intake are non-Catholic. Boys School with impressive sports department (they have a swimming pool!) and art and design department - relatively small intake for year 7 (150 students as opposed to 240 which many of the above secondary schools have. Also one of top boys schools in London and was second in Southwarks GCSE results only to their sister school Sacred Heart in Camberwell

This article points out why London schools are doing so well http://www.citylab.com/politics/2015/09/londons-school-system-is-shockingly-good/405613/?utm_source=nl__link3_091615

No, children under 11 or 12 (not sure as my son is 10 and I know he was under the age) go free. It was very enjoyable - I was more scared than my son on the slides and also the first door thing! My son thought it was hilarious!

So the weather is looking good for this Saturday for the Goose Green Primary School Summer Fair and we have a choice of 10 hot food stalls for lunch!! Also ice cream and a great value bar. We also have a relaxation tent with Rekki, massage and other therapies, a stage with live music from the talented kids of Goose Green School as well as from the Community Choir and Community Steel Pan Band. For the kids, there will be face painting, nails, tattoos, beat the goalie, lots of craft activities. Come to Goose Green from 12 noon to 4pm and join in the fun!

Try a Medi-Centre - they are located in Central London at Victoria Station and also near Bank. Private GP's and nurses.

It's always a fun event - hightlight of the summer in East Dulwich! And the Goose Green Community Choir will be there on stage around 2:30pm with some new tunes! We're a community choir that is based at the school. The choir is comprised not only of parents and staff at the school but also members of the local community - but we all share a love of singing and are committed supporting the GG school and school events! Hope to see you all on the Saturday 4th July!

Everyone makes different choices - we have good friends who moved out to a village near Haywards Health - because they just couldn't afford a house and they had two lively boys. We stay in touch and visit in half-terms or they come up here. They are happy with the choice they made but also acknowledge the downsides. For example, she misses not being able to pop into the Tate Modern or many other London attractions that I can with my son - they have to make a big excurions to come up and then it's dragging two boys to see an exhibit. Whereas I can entice my lively boy into a gallery by saying we'll just pop in and then be home by lunch and in time for footie in the park. The schools are ok but she knows that schools in London are more academic. The biggest thing she misses is the diversity in London and having to DRIVE EVERYWHERE is a pain. Plus, she hasn't made many new friends - mainly because the driving to drop off at schools doesn't lend itself to easy friendships you make when you can pop into cafes for coffee after drop off.

You could try the East Dulwich Academy for Performaing Arts - they do 30 minute individaul flute lessons for ?17.50 on a Saturday morning - the teachers are all graduates of music colleges like Trinity College of Music. or if you pay ?25 per week they can do the full 3 hour morning which includes music theory, wind band, individual lesson and keyboards. But I think that the min age is 7 for that - probably best to start her with the 30 minute flute lesson. http://www.eastdulwichacademy.org/

We buy black Van trainers for my 10 year old - they have a 'cool' factor, my son likes them, they are good for sport both at school and in afterschool sports activities and they meet the school requirements. I buy them from John Lewis - everytime he goes up a size, we just order the next size up. Although now he is size 6, it is into the adult sizes so more pricey!