kristymac1

Melissa and Doug do a really lovely set with lots of bits, much cheaper than brio but compatible with brio, ikea etc...We bought it for our 2yr old and only use some of it at the moment but will get the rest out as he grows.

edited because my brain is in sleep mode.....

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks for all the hard work parents group! Yes, many thanks to all on the steering group - i know there has been an awful lot of work involved and hope you know there are lots of us who are very appreciative! x

Oh No, really? Will be very sad to see it go - have always had very pleasant and helpful service from the owners.....

I'd like details on your holiday to Lefkana please! Sounds ideal - could you PM me the details please? x

James Barber wrote: > Part of creating a great school is having a local > school community. If people dip in for admissions > and then move further away they're less likely to > be able to support that wider school community. I totally agree, but whilst still in (demonstrably) walking distance of my daughter's school which is almost double the arbitrary 800m, we are still very much an active part of the school community (I'm currently Co-chair of the school's parents/friends association) . I cannot see how a council could possibly argue that it is totally justifiable to allocate children a school which is 3000m (walking) distance away but say that siblings must be housed within 800m distance. It is ridiculous.

newboots Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I don't think it is ridiculous. I think some > councils are trying to tackle the problem of > families moving temporarily to the catchment of a > popular school to secure a place for the oldest > sibling and then moving a couple of miles away But 800m is quite bit shorter than couple of miles 800m vs 3000m...

I think 800m is way too short, the reasonable walking distance which is applied for primary schools is 2miles isn't it? We moved house when my son was born, further away from the school but we still walk/scoot/cycle to school. If the 800m was applied in Southwark my son wouldn't get in to the school on a sibling place or by distance (even though we are still clearly in walking distance). Think the 800m seems very arbitrary and ill-conceived - ironically we would be unlikely to be offered a place at a school within 800m.....

They do both indoor and outdoor PE once a week at heber, navy shorts and plain white t-shirt for indoor, jogging/yoga pants for outdoor, if it's really cold they tend to wear their cardies /jumpers outside too . most kids wear black plimsoles rather than trainers.

Went to bockett farm in Surrey today with 7.5yr old and 2yr old (bday today!) and it was brilliant, one of the best family days out we've had - great activities for all ages - including the awesome pig race:-). It's an hour a away but Def worth it - we'll be back there this hols x

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The food certainly isn't going to attract > anyone. The food isnt great I agree but at last its honestly priced - there are enough 'gastropubs'in the area selling poor quality food and charging a mint for it!

Hi Kate, my take on it was: > - What seems to be their preference for the > criteria for entry, will it be distance, > 'ability'-bands, affiliation with local primaries, > or some combination of these? Distance & banding - no affiliation to local primary schools. Distance not necessarily measured from the school site - nodal points was mentioned (when questioned) > > - It will be a mixed school but will there be > single-sex classes up to Year 9 as I believe they > have in one of their other schools. Single sex up to Yr 9, mixed recreational activities > > - Does it sound like there be ways for children > living miles away to go this school (via music > 'scholarships' or whatever?) No intention to have a scholarship entry for specific specialism > > - Apart from music, will they want to be known for > any other specialisms? The specifically said they weren't intending to have any specialism > > - How big do they anticipate the outdoor > playground/sports area will be (they presumably > have a rough idea of the building footprint)? Do > they expect all sport to be done on-site, or do > they plan to share facilities elsewhere as Harris > Boys Academy does. They didn't touch on this at all. > - Do they have anything to say about the rival > Charter bid? Why go with Haberdashers instead of > Charter? No mention other than there was another bid by Charter. Kristy x

Got my leaflet delivered yesterday, we're on Dovedale Road. Thanks, will definitely be attending

Hi, are you leafleting the 'black hole' areas? If hb are going to take on board the views of parents with regard to admissions you really need to be leafleting houses in those areas around Peckham Rye too (speaking with complete self-interest) Thanks Kristy

Oh No! She was a real sweetheart :-((

Shoe-horning a primary school permanently onto the Harris Girls site would be of total detriment to the facilities available to the pupils at Harris Girls. I am a supporter of the proposed co-ed secondary school (with certain caveats) but I think there is a danger that those leading the campaign for the co-ed secondary are not considering the impact on the other secondary schools in the area. Campaigning against putting a primary school on the hospital site in addition to the secondary school is fine but not if their answer is to simply shove the primary onto the site of another secondary school which quite clearly does not have the space. Why are the space needs of the proposed new secondary school considered to be more important than those of existing schools?

The issue as far as I can tell is that the hospital site is 'preferred' simply because it is the only sizeable site in the wider area suitable. The need for a co-ed secondary school isn't in that immediate area (being so close to Charter). No-one yet has mentioned the possibility of measuring distance/banding from a specific nodal point - the nodal point being measured from the point by where there is greatest need/black hole. Unless that is figured into the application criteria, I will be withdrawing my support for a secondary school on a site for which the immediate proximity is already catered for.

?1 the norm here, although the Tooth Fairy pushed the boat out last time with a shiny ?2 coin - on account of the tooth being knocked out (by Toddler brother's head) rather than falling out.....

Lovely thing to do, we I'll be happy to donate, will pm you x

Hi HOMum, There's 5 1/2 years between my two and it definitely wasn't planned that way. I can remember a similar thread on here about 'choosing' the perfect age gap - it was a very difficult read and I commented at the time how lucky folk were to be able to choose :-(. I wish you well and hope you find contentment in your family whatever its' size xx HOMum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I wouldn't mind the luxury of baby no 2, but it > seems my body has other ideas and my first child > is 4 in the Summer. I guess whatever is meant to > be is meant to be. While I don't think this > thread means any harm and I appreciate it is a > light hearted chat over an open forum it makes a > hard read for people dreaming for just their first > or second baby to come along.

depending on where you live close to the permanent site, getting to Holmstall road on foot isn't too onerous. We walk (or scoot/cycle) from Dovedale Road to Heber Road for school and its only a 15-20minute journey on foot. Not great when weather is very wet in which case we use the car, otherwise I really enjoy our walk to school (its surprising what you find out from your wee ones amongst idle chit chat....)

Cala san vicente (?) pretty much ticks your boxes, lovely cove beach, quiet, no mega hotels....

Ours stays up all year round and doesn't seem to have come to any harm. We bought a cover for it (like a big top tent top) but have never bothered to use it.....

Well done to the Steering Group for bringing this issue so far - we are now so much closer to getting a secondary school people want. I posted very early in this thread asking for the Steering Group's ToRs and info on their constitution, not least so they could justify their decisions. There are always going to be objectors, particularly the 'losers' in what seems to have been a 2-horse race, that's life I'm afraid. However, I'm pretty disturbed by the personal attacks on James Barber and members of the Steering Group. We all make choices for our children based on personal circumstances and we have no idea, nor the right to know what those circumstances are. As it currently lies, we have potentially 2 established education providers vying to open a new secondary in ED - Brilliant! But who-ever eventually provides the new school wouldn't have done so without the hard work and commitment of the Steering Group and James Barber - thank you to them all.

Here at the momrnt - kids having a great time, an excellent lical resource fir kids!