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Some time ago you were kind enough to enquire into the missing cylcists' advance stop line at Grove Tavern/Lordship Lane/Dulwich Common. You colleague Ms Pidgeon was told it would be reinstaled in July. It hasn't been. I will write to TFL myself but it would be nice to know what is happening. Despite being a regular cyclist I still find this junction quite frightening without the line. Thank you.

I think people going through the allocation of secondary places go through an anxious time and it is natural to feel disappointed if you don't get a top choice. And perhaps to seek reassurance. A number of posters give that and I agree, but share some of HJQ's exasperation at having to do so. My son is there and very happy. It was not our first choice, those years ago, but all is going well. He has retained friends at the other school he'd hoped to go to, Charter, and has new ones. He is making good progress both personally and academically and I have never for a moment felt that the school and teachers have ever treated him as anything other than the individual he is. I don't want to take away from anything I have said but I think parents would be fairly reluctant to be unkind about their child's school - because we want them to do well and support their efforts. There was a poster some time ago on another thread who was unhappy, but I think that was a minority view, to which the parent was entitled. Conversely that is true probably true of all schools, including the private ones. And feedback from other children and their parents is that all schools have their strengths and weaknesses. One thing is that with HBAED some of its apparent failings are more obvious - it's single sex, an emphasis on order, importance of sport (my son is really not sporty at all) and for me the garish orange lapels. But it really is a good school.

My son goes there and is pretty happy. He is doing as well or better than contemporaries who went to other localish schools, and is as content as them. They cater for a wide range of abilities well, and seek the best for all their pupils. They seem to acknowledge different abilities and keep a close eye on progress in subjects: so my son is in different sets for different subjects. They are very keen at sport: which my son is rubbish at, and faintly resents. They are quite strict but overall I think that is good. They are keen on the uniform which I like as well, it is quite egalitarian (no comparing Ralph Lauren/flashy trainers in the playground) but I do wish the lapels were not orange. I have been happy with all the teachers I have met who seem to talk about him as an individual and recognise his qualities, good and bad. I know it sounds stupid or obvious but it is very local to us and I am so pleased that he does not have to traipse across London to get educated. Forming views about and choosing schools is hard. And once you are in being honest is really tough. Parents, probably less at HBAED than elsewhere, tend to fall into the patriotic camp (everything's wonderful), or into the aggrieved/resentful tendency. In East Dulwich it is nuanced by some local anti-academy/Harris feeling, again generally from people with little direct contact and strong views, although I am not a Gove fan either (who is?). In an ideal world my son would have gone to a co-educational non-academy, without orange lapels, not quite as keen on sport, really close to our home. But whilst we/he had choices there was nothing that quite fitted our precise demands and overall we are pleased we chose HBAED. I'd visit: they'll be welcoming. Also ask the nephew what he thinks.

My year 7 child goes here and he is happy, has made friends, seems to be doing well academically (top stream for most things and that gifted and talented nonsense for some)and I think the Ofsted report is a fair reflection of the school. The school really cares about how well the boys do, the teachers from my contact seem very good and they give you very regular reports on progress. My son has made new friends; few pupils went here from his primary. We know people going to other schools which are well established and very popular and regularly praised; nothing I have had heard from my son or seen for myself about Harris Boys and comparing with those other schools make me think he is getting less than the best they can give. There is a tendency for parents, including me, to praise "our" schools - we all want them to be popular and attract future parents who care so making judgements. Each school is different and has pluses and minuses, including this one: the oranged piped blazer may grow on me, but I doubt it in an ideal world co-ed might have been wonderful but Harris Boys isn't not much outside space but neither has Charter really, per pupil Harris has got quite a lot to prove and I think will do its utmost to establish itself as a school of first choice. It is clearly not first choice for all local parents now. But my children (there's another) went to Heber when that wasn't regarded and the response of other local parents at the time was to commiserate. That is now very popular partly (only partly) because parents like us accepted and supported our local school.