nunheadmum

Lottery isn't the solution. Kingsdale is a lottery and look where that gets us. Harris Girls is a lottery and now local girls in Nunhead aren't getting a place. Basically unless all schools are good+ or there is a glut of places, some kids will end up in schools that aren't good or better. Horrible if it's your child that's caught. But the small consolation is that the chances are, a good child in a school that is struggling to improve (particularly one with the might of Harris behind it) will be picked up and given all the help they can, to show what the school can do. And waitlists do move a lot up until the start of term and beyond. I hope you get a solution you feel happier with.

Which dentists have left? The dentist I was seeing definitely wasn't focused on 'beauty' which was perfect for me.

Thanks for all the ideas. We've settled now on something in Croatia. Can't believe how expensive everything is....puts all the more pressure on getting it right. Keeping my fingers crossed now!!!

Thanks for the ideas - I'll look into them. It's the eternal problem of trying to keep everyone happy. I really should book what suits me on the basis that I'm doing all the legwork!

We all like the independence of self catering house / villa holidays but we'd love to have other kids (ours are ages 11 + 13) around so we keep our sanity. We've done caravan parks and French gites but want to try something different. Kids really want to fly but can't be too hot. Anyone got any suggestions that don't cost Mark Warner prices? I feel like I'm going round in circles!!!!!

There's a rhythmic gym club at Harris Girls/Forest Hill school. https://www.gymnasticselegance.co.uk/

I don't think a full scholarship is a guarantee of a place - but it increases your chances and I think most kids with full scholarships get in. But I don't think 2 half scholarships (e.g. half in music and half in sport) are the same as a full scholarship in one. The single full scholarships trump the halves. I think.....Kingsdale is never easy to be certain about!!

If you can't get any from the school, try the Nunhead Parents Network on Facebook - I'm sure there will be some second hand ones out there that parents will be glad to find a new home for. Or on here too. Alternatively the school isn't so hard line on uniform so I'm sure it won't be an issue if they go a day or so with a non-uniform top until you get one. Might spoil the 'first day of school' pics though!!

My 12 year old loves The Lorien Legacies series by Pittacus Lore and The Spellslinger series by Sebastien Castell.

We have a tray with some cat litter topped with straw and they tend to do most of their wees in there. We have them out a lot and don't get many wees these days. We have fleece in their cage and a fleece for them to sit on out the cage - gives a bit of protection if they do anything (mainly poos). But then our two are big and incredibly lazy, so don't move around much. Earlier on our two did like climbing on top of their sleeping area - we had a carrot topped box from Pets at Home which they loved to jump on and nibble. But not massive climbers I've found - but that could be because they're quite big piggies. (Unlike our hamster who is a ninja in comparison!)

If, like us, you feel bad about keeping animals in small spaces, you can look at this stuff for setting up runs around the garden for them. (www.runaround.co.uk) And if you find a way to stop the kids turning the house into a barn with straw everywhere - can you let me know the secret! If you're getting a second one and have the opportunity to introduce them to more than one, do. We didn't get the chance and had a rough few weeks worrying that they hated each other - and a few scars along the way. Luckily they've come through it and are like a couple of grumpy old men now. Very sweet grumpy old men.

Thanks Hazel. That sounds like a bit of a crappy deal. Guess we'll be waiting till Sunday then!

Anyone know if you buy advance tokens for e.g. Friday, can you use them on Sat/Sun? The kids want to go and we want to use the advance purchase offer, but not sure which day. Ta!

Can you ask someone to waive their rights if you are negligent? That sounds like something that wouldn't hold up in court to me - although I'm no lawyer. I always thought that negligence is one thing you can't get out of. If the well maintained equipment fails for some freak reason, there may be a case. But I would have thought that any accident that was down to negligence on the part of the operator would be clearly their fault and no bit of paper would get them out of it? That said, it sounds like a well run operation who have simply included the paperwork that those who know about this stuff and advised them, told them was required.

If you can go out of school summer holiday times, you'll probably find it much calmer for little ones - and cheaper! Also if you book direct with the campsite operators, you often get better chalets and cheaper too. But then you may not be with other Brits around you - depends if that's a plus or a minus. Sorry - can't recommend any ones specifically.