James Barber

EDmummy, When I've visited ths school it has always been more mixed that the original poster suggests. Eitherway they've always been smart and engaged boys. Many of the pupils do come from outside the immediate area. My hunch is that with great GCSE results this will change and it will increasingly become more and more a local community school reflecting the diversity of the neighbouring areas.

Hi LondonMix, That's a very serious libellous allegation. IF you truly believe it then you should contact the EFA. If you don't I would suggest you edit your post. I'm not a rep. of Harris so they might reconsider. But no one has asked them and they have provided letters stating they would prefer not to be at the hospital site. But alternative sites are made possible if Southwark Council choose to change their zoning. As I keep explaining Sotuhwark Council has chosen not to do this but promote a petition that fundamentally changes nothing. You'd have to ask Harris your question. It is a little bit chicken and egg. Southwark Council and cabinet councillors have complained Harris wont talk to them. Harris complain Southwark wont talk to them but add they have regular meetings at lower levels. Both sides USED to meet regularly when Caroline Pidgeon was the councillor in charge of education. If I was the councillor in charge I would be arranging meetings, I would go and visit them in Croydon which I have done several times (and I regualrly meet a number of school providers). I'd make it my job to break down these barriers. Equally, Southwark Council officers refused to meet Habs until I arranged the meeting and they couldn't say no. Even across the border Habs teach a number of Southwark children. NB. Both sets of campaigns I have attempted to ensure are cross party. At the very start I have approached Labour councillors and tory councillors. The tories have supported both immediately when asked at the very start. The Labour ones blanked the primary one repeatedly and only got involved when we had over 550 supporting families for the secondary school. So it is very hard sometimes to be cross party when one party doesn't want to be.

The Dfe/EFA approved the Harris free school consdiering allthe factors they have to. Two further primary schools have been approved/agreed since. So on places/surplus the argument is over whether people like that or not. The only way alternatives site for the Harris primary school is for Southwark to do something which they are refusing to do... so far. Hi BNG, Exactly. If the zoning of the dulwich Hospital says housing then NHS Property will move heaven and earth to seel land for housing. Southwark Council can stop that by changing the zoning. So far Southwark have refused to change the zoning. Both issues require Southwark to change zoning. Petitioning anyone else wont change one iota of this situation but it does give the illusion of action.

Hi LondonMix, Whether you or I agree a Harris primary is needed is pretty immaterial. They have been approved to open a new primary school before two other new proposed primary schools and the EFA will find a site for it. Without Southwark Coumncil zoning another site for a primary school - Habs would like the spare MOL land on the girls school, I would suggest 520 Lordship Lane - the only site in the area is the Dulwich Hospital. We can either ensure an alternative to the Dulwich Hospital site or people can continue to make a fuss - but the EFA don't have a mechanism to un approve this school. The EFA will also decide whether to approve either or both of the free secondary school applications. They will then need to find a site. Evidence for the land value if zoned for residential is the ?6M paid for 1,800m2 the former East Dulwich police station Christmas 2013. We're asking for 19,550m2 for a secondary school which cost ?64M. House prices and persumably land values have risen since Christmas 2013 but circa 20%. NHS Property have, despite knowing we planned to organsie an application for a free secondary school, soft marketed the site to the like of Berkelys and co. They clearly wish to obtain housing land prices. The current book value of the hospital for community use is ?18M making the secondsary school land price ?12M. 21 October Southwark's Cabinet Committee of councillors are considering the Southwark Plan and IF they chose to ask officers to consider re zoning the hopsital site it would immediately have some weight in the planning process and pricing for this site.

Mrs.Lotte, I do not oppose the new Ivydale. I just think instead of Ivydale providing it via a second site being paid for by Southwark Council taxpayers the free school route should have been followed. It would see the ?4.5M bill being picked up by central government. It would see more choice locally and it wouldn't see Ivydale with 4 forms of entry per year. Hi LondonMix, mariabate, The problem isn't a potential primary school but the pricing of the land due to zoning of the site. Without re zoning we may well see a secondary school with minimal land. Do you think The DfE is going to spend ?64M on the land we all wish the secondary school to have? I think everyone is so blinkered about a possible primary school on this site they're ignoring that Southwark Council could zone another site to house any primary school BUT IS REFUSING. That the hospital site being zoned for housing will mean the size of land we all won't for it won't be affordable because Southwark IS REFUSING TO REZONE the site.

Hi first mate, The replacement health facility although needing only 7,000-9,000m2 will have significantly more services and occupied space than the current situation. They wouldnt be asking to have 100 car parking spaces otherwise. So we're very clear we want a proper repalcment that has far mroe locally provided health services. It would be easy to go with the flow and sign this petition. But that would be selling out on the 250+ supporters of two Harris primary schools. When we have a primary school place crisis in 2016/17 pointing my finger at Southwark Council. I'm sorry, doing this just isn't me. Why Harris. Well in 2012 they were the ONLY school provider that would consider opening new free schools in the wider East Dulwich area. Since then others have become attracted when we showed we could make local free schools happen. So yes I feel loyalty to the free school bids I've initiated with my colleagues and helped lead/run the campaigns.

At Planning Sub-committee A last night I helped ensure that the DCPS planning application we were deciding has a requirement for them to develope a protocol with local police so that they will assist the local police in enforcing local traffic rules with parents. That is will be reviewed by council officials after 6 mothnsand 18 months to ensure things have improved. Clearly evidence that a small mintority are abusing the local police and residents asking them politely to behave reasonably. bawdy-nan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is an even worse problem on Hunts Slip Road > when the cyclists are mostly children and > teenagers on their way to Kingsdale. The quantity > and extraordinary driving behaviour of the large > 4x4s dropping off at Dulwich College is > breathtaking. > > They double park, pull out without any warning, > park on double yellows and zig zags - it really is > shocking, especially considering that they are > parents dropping off their children and the > cyclists whose lives they are putting in danger > are also children. > > I know that terrible parent parking / driving near > school gates is a problem for all schools but this > is exacerbated, I suppose, by the fact that the > school attracts pupils from a huge distance and > also by the ludicrous size of the vehicles. > > I am absolutely convinced that there will be a > terrible injury in this road. The two, wide, rough > tracks on either side of this road are crying out > to be made into cycle paths.

Hi DulwichBorn&BRed, I'm sorry you feel that. We have been totally transparent throughout the campaign in emails to supporters of new priamry schools, on this forum, blogs, facebook and twitter and well as the local press and Lib Dem leaflets. Despite our best efforts I'm sorry we didn't make this sufficiently clear for you. I'm not sure what else we could have done.

Hi Otta, Children on shoulders is fun for no more than 5 mins. So we used to have a policy when we led the council of fidning schools, unless thefamily chose a specific religious or other specialist choice, within 1 mile of the home. Nationally the limit is 2 miles which Southwark now follow. Hi Londonmix, Yes, the Harris Federation would like to build their school on the Harris ED Girls School. No, Renata confirmed with the head teacher of the Harris ED Girls school not the Harris Federation. But it is classed as Metropolitan Open Land. Even using it to temporarily house the Harri ED primary school while the permanent school is built was amazingly contraversial at the planning committee. It was really embarassing to see councillors lambast the applicant for officers errors and delays. Weirdly private schools in Southwark get to build on MOL. Perhaps they have the stomach to fight Southwark whereas Harris have preferred so far not to. I personally believe they would win any planning appeal if they applied to permanently build there and were refused.

Ignoring the stupid name another primary school wherever it is sited would have distance based admissions and take applicants based that. So very unlikely only people from Nunhead would apply. It would instead affect admissions to other schools. A series of 2D domino's. So the average distance for any new school is likely to be longer to start with until it has a great reputiation and then rapidly shrink. As we have so many good local schools and distances are so short it's likely it would be offering places to people locally that fall outside admissions but within 2 miles the distance the council works to since 2010 local elections. Space. Haberdashers' say they would ideally have 19,550m2 for a 1,150 pupil secondary school. They even state they could reduce teacher parking and go up to 3 or 4 storey building to reduce this footprint - ideally this would be used for more sports facilities. Primary schools locally have been a minimum of 1,800m2 for 420 pupil primary school. Hospital site is 28,300m2. Replacement health facilities stated as needing 7,000-9,000m2 of land and they plan 100+ car parking spaces. So both schools potentially could fit on the site with both schools having exactly the land they want. BUT it would be even better if another alternate site for the primary school could be found and Southwark Council are critical for that and so are refusing to act. Equally the land as zoned will be too expensive for the secondary school - zoned for housing 19,550m2 is valued at ?64M+. Before free schools were possible we built a secondary school (Harris ED Boys) which has 3,500m2 as we couldnt acquirer any hospital land in 2005/6. I'm really keen to don't have so little land. Again Southwark Council removing the zoning for housing from the Dulwich Hopsital site is critical to avoid this. Again they are refusing to act.

Hi LondonMix, I've said this repeatedly Harris people decided to label the second Harris primary school Nunhead. I've always said that's the wrong name. The supporters as I've said repeatedly come from the Homestall and Ivydale Roads area and south East Dulwich. But he supporting families were found. You've repeated what evidence of need is there? Well they provided that and obtained a approval to open a free school. THEN Belham free school was approved and THEN Southwark started the expansion of Ivydale. So I think you're asking this question of the wrong school provision. I'm really soory you hate Harris and probalby me. But this is about ensuring the right number of school places and the best possible size of school. Not a beauty contest of political beliefs.

Then Londonmix, I apologise unreservably for not remembering the letter you describe. Do you know where in the family room I uploaded this? I've not been able to find it. I'm keen to see it to try and recall the context. But yes, I can confirm that the supporters came from east and south of East Dulwich ward. I would never have described it as a school for Nunhead. AS I've stated previously I was not and have never been happy with it being described as Nunhead. It's the wrong label for is a second Harris primary school to serve the wider East Dulwich area. If anyone can turn post codes into a geo map I could share where supporters for the primary schools came from. I'd find this useful to visualise and suspect others would.

In lieu of a proper response to Londonmix. 1. Yes. I've never used the language of Harris nunhead and was annoyed when a second East Dulwich Harris primary was so labelled. It doesn't accurately reflect the black holes of admissions to the east and south of East Dulwich ward. 2. No, Harris applied using that name but with supporters across East Dulwich but clustered around Homestall and Ivydale Roads and around the junction of Lordship Lane with the south Circular. 3. Yes, when the application was made and approved by the DfE and EFA Belham hadn't been suggested and Ivydale had been mentioned but no progress or plans were in place. The fact both these later developements have since been made suggests the administration, DfE and EFA all believe extra provision beyond a second Harris primary school is needed for our area. Blimey Charlie (aka EastdulwichLabour), Your party leader suggested the new secondary school could go upwards and be tall to enable lots of housing on the Dulwch Hospital site. So I will not be lectured by you on this. I'm agog that your party is refusing to change the site zone to explicitly state only health and education use will be present on the hospital site. Without this change the land for a secondary school would cost ?64M and be the most expensive UK state of all time. This single factor will lead to pokey sized secondary school on only a small part of the site. If you genuinely want a secodnary school tell people what YOU will do to reverse this - and sending letters and petitions to David Laws doesn't resolve this as it need Sotuhwark Council / Labour action.

Agreed Pipsky2008, Fortunately I'm told this doesnt happen often - we're not like Cambridge railway station. apparently most council recovered biycles are via the bulk collections services.

Hi ram001, It is hard to say whether the existing buildings will remain intact. BUT Haberdashers' Aske's charity board are keen if possible to keep as many buildings as possible to from day one give the school the feeling of stature a (my words) and feeling of substance. BUT the place is riddled iwth asbestos. The wings were build often with single brick skins. So I personally doubt if the wings can be kept. I hope the central Chateau style can be kept - the NHS Property people are reported to have a quote to remove asbestos from thos central buildings alone of ?1M. Sorry I can't be clearer but serious crystal ball needed. Hi buggie, I was also alarmed when the Met Police Property peopel held an auction for the former East Dulwioch Pilice station and then allowed the Department for Education EFA people to buy it at that housing development pricing. Having met and spoken with NHS property people a number of times they are crystal clear school places isn't their problem and they will extract the highest possible price. NHS Property have soft marketted the whole Dulwich Hopsital site earleir this year to understand the prices national house developers would be willing to pay. Hence my vehement concern that we're all about to not get what we want due to Southwark Council zoning of the hospital site and currently no actions despite repeated requests to change this dire situation. The ball is clearly with Southwark Council but people are being pointed at govt minister David Laws for some bizarre reason. Hi LondonMix, I've responded to other peoples comments first. I'm now at work, and then family celebration tonight so will respond tomorrow to you or Thursday.

I'm on a packed bus and wanted to respond to the slur immediately. I've a meeting from 7-9+ pm and then home. I will respond when I'm physically able to.

Londonmix I can categorically state I and the lib Dems have not and I doubt will ever receive any support of any kind from Harris in any aw shape or form. Lord Harris is a Tory lord. It pained me and my colleagues to go cap in hand to a Tory led and funded charity in what must have been 2011 but it was the right thing to do for East Dulwich.

Please withdraw that libel LondonMix.

Hi LondonMix, How do you know we don't need more primary school places? Clearly Southwark and the DfE/EFA also think we need more school places. They've both approved schools since the second Harris free primary school was approved - Belham and Ivydale doubling. Why would they do that if they didn't think we need the extra school places? Why would they do that AFTER the second Harris was approved?

The hospital site is 28,300m2. Health people say they expect to need 7,000->9,000m2 for new super duper replacement facilities including parking for at least 100 cars. Haberdashers' Aske's believe they would ideally have 19,500m2 for a new secondary school. A primary school would need minimum 1,800m2. I would prefer the primary school to be elsewhere but without Southwark Council zoning another site, such as 520 Lordship Lane for educational use, the maths for boths schools and a fab new health facility do work on the hospital site.

The hospital site is 28,300m2. Health people say they expect to need 7,000->9,000m2 for new super duper replacement facilities including parking for at least 100 cars. Haberdashers' Aske's believe they would ideally have 19,500m2 for a new secondary school. A primary school would need minimum 1,800m2. I would prefer the primary school to be elsewhere but without Southwark Council zoning another site, such as 520 Lordship Lane for educational use, the maths for boths schools and a fab new health facility do work on the hospital site.

Hi LondonMix, I don't believe the hospital land will be allocated to a primary school before a secondary school is refused or approved. But it is in officials heads. This is partly why I've not been chasing my Right to Contest in case it speeds up the wrong allocation. But assuming one or both secondary free school application are approved, two problems arise. First the land is zoned for housing so will be ridiculously expensive (?3,333/m2 as per former East Duwlich Police station) and only a small proportion of the site will be afforded for each secondary school. This would encourage a repeated of Harris East Dulwich Boys Academy higher density when we actually have the space for more land for a secondary school. So our ideal secondary school would need 19,550m2 and that would cost land alone while zoned for housing ?65M+. Two. Every forecast by Southwark Council on pupil numbers have been wrong to varying degrees for decade. Until a few months ago they were crystal clear we did not and should not have a new East Dulwich secondary school. So I disagree - we do need a second Harris primary school. BUT Southwark could zone 520 Lordship Lane for educational use and we'd have no clash. I have always said we wanted two primary schools. Their is even a thread on the forum about the second one. And once we started receving support from families I said we have two primary school admissions holes - one around Homestall Road and the other effectively around 520 Lordship Lane. Ideally the second Harris primary school would be either built on the Harris East Dulwich Girls Academy site or 520 Lordship Lane.

Hi dds29, Yes, I admit it I'm a big fan of all good or oustanding school providers. I'm a big fan of The Charter School who have done amazingly well. Kingsdale I'm not such a big fan sicne they started their lottery for admissions. Big fan of Goodrich, Heber and Goose Green - all have been making great progress and also took bulge classes when our community needed them to. St.Anthony's who managed to complete a rebuild while still on site, expanding from 1.5 to 2 forms of entry. Amazing. We also have lots of other schools not in East Dulwich ward. When we faced a looming primary school places crisis and Southwark Council were doing nothing. I helped Judith Kerr Bilingual school find a local site on Half Moon Lane. So I;m a big fan of them coming to the area. When I approached every school provider I could think of to open free schools in our area - and I'm not a fan of the concept but it is the only realistic showi n town - Harris people were the only one's willing to sticj their necks out. So yes, I'm grateful they have supported East Dulwich and invested time and energy on us when no one else would. And lastly I'm most grateful to all the local families who have helped ensure we had enough local support to make free school application successful. By leading on making free schools happen we've ensured we've school providers who are mainstream and not the more extreme parts of the education spectrum.

Hi pipsky2008, Bike removed. With your help I've match maked Southwark, Veolia and a bicycle recyclnig charity. In future bicycles disposed of by residents wont be sold for metal scrap but recycled. Embarassed this wasn't taking place. Many thanks for your help in making this happen. Regards james. pipsky2008 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > James Barber Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Hi pipsky2008, > > Isn't that immediately outside the entrance to > 12 > > studio flats above the Coop/ > > Are you absolutely sure it hasn't moved in any > > way? > > When I lock my bike up I always do it in > exactly > > the same way with the same locks through the > same > > points. > > I'd hate for a resident to get entangled with > > Southwark Council about as bicycle being > removed > > that they had legitemately parked. > > Hello James > > You are correct about the location of the bicycle. > I spoke to a road sweeper this morning who says he > hasn't seen it being moved, either arriving or > departing, in a long time, since the end last > summer, he says. I would agree with that > timescale. > > Have a look at it's condition and road worthiness > when you past it next and see what you think.

I've never worked out why Harris gave a working name for a second Harris East Dulwich primary school Nunhead.I suspect this is because they have a Peckham and also now an East Dulwich primary schools and tried to find a distnctive name. We know that a significant number of supporting parents live in Peckham Rye/Ivydale area - and another very large grouping from around 520 Lordship Lane area. When leading the council Lib Dems tried finding school places within a 1 miles radius but the national goal has always been 2 miles. 250+ was the support we gained for two primary schools. We always said we were going for two as the predicted gap was 215-235 reception children from the wider Dulwich area and we needed another two new schools on top of the Judith Kerr and some domino impacts from dulwich Woods, Bessemer and Belham.