damzel

As an alternative, for portability the blow up ones are good. Need to buy the specific sheet though as the blow up tubes fit in them.

Lucy that's a brilliant idea and one I would definitely use. I hope someone runs with it locally. Thanks for sharing.

Dontpanic - I really want to say something but I'm new and my school experience has just started so I am learning the ropes. I don't want to get off on the wrong foot and start suggesting better ways to do things - the teacher seems quite young (to me!) and I think she is only in her 2nd year. I don't want to offend. Especially as at the moment I feel like I am the only one who has an issue with this. It's good to get this feedback - thanks everyone.

Pickle - I will definitely look out for you, be good to see how it works for your class - if it's very different then I might be inclined to mention something to our teacher (not that I'm particularly comfortable with that). I usually wait to the left of the main gate to the playground and have been arriving fairly early (though I'm sure that won't last much longer!) Hopefully see you tomorrow

My daughter started at Goodrich reception recently and has settled in really well. However, I am finding it much harder to adjust! There are a few things that are bugging me (and I admit that a lot it might be because I am generally a very organised person and school is a bit out of my control). But in particular, the drop off and pick up is so disorganised with parents all bundling into the class at the same time to hang up or collect coats and bags - I can never get near the pegs and I'm struggling to understand why I am having to. I would have thought it a useful learning exercise to teach the kids to find their hook and hang up their own bags and coats, then at the end of the day, gather everything together before being sent out to mum (or carer). But no. What happens (for my daughters class anyway) is in the afternoon the teacher opens the door and has a quick look to see who's mums are outside then goes back inside, presumably to tell which kids can leave. However, before (or whilst) the kids are starting to come out (without bags/coats etc.) all the mums pile into the class! The kids are weaving between their legs to get out and mine always arrives without some of her stuff, so I have to wait until all the mums have left (I'm not joining in the mosh!), in order to get into the class to get my daughters stuff! It's absolutely ridiculous! The door area is really tight for space too and they've put the pegs right my the narrow doorway so there is no room to get in or out amongst the bun fight! Impossible to even have a quick "is everything okay" with the teacher. Surely it would be more sensible for the teachers (as part of the last lesson) to supervise the kids getting all their stuff together, then when they open the door - tell the carers and mums to wait outside - and send the kids out. If they need a word with anyone (or vice versa) that child can be the last to leave so that the teacher and parent can discuss whatever needs discussing. And move the pegs further down the wall so they are not right by the door! Do all 3 Goodrich reception classes work like this or is it just mine?

What a great idea! I've toyed with the idea of cycling to work but find the concept a bit daunting so to have a trial run at the weekend with someone who knows the journey would be brilliant. Having said that, I haven't had my bike out of the shed for over 4 years so it will need some TLC first. I saw some guys on North Cross Road today fixing up some bikes - are they there every week doing bike mots? How much do they charge?

I just got some from here www.gbnametapes.co.uk. I'll do the sew on ones to start but will no doubt be using a marker pen by Christmas!

It was great and the queue was long but didn't take long. It's very well organised. Thanks for the tip Fapl

You mean ear defenders! You can borrow my daughters pink ones? I'm in this evening if you want to pick them up from near the library. I'll PM you my number

Are grey pinafore dresses allowed?

Thanks Pickle. Is it okay for girls to wear black (or grey) leggings instead of tights? I'm thinking it would be easier to deal with going to the loo (I'm having nightmares about my daughter being too lazy to pull up her tights!)

I had the same problem but persuaded my daughter to open wide by making different "ahhhhh" sounds and allowing her to be really loud if she wanted. Wide open mouth AHHHHHH, then an OOOO face and sound, an EEEE face, etc. etc. all the while and then I make up songs while cleaning her teeth. She loves it now. (I've also told her she will never be a princess or a ballet dancer unless she has clean sparkly teeth).

Hello Goodrich parents. My daughter starts at Goodrich in September and I'm wondering how strict the uniform is. i.e. what colour shoes and socks/tights are allowed? Also, will she need trainers for PE? What colour(s) are allowed? Thanks

If you have small kids I would avoid London Bridge then tube as they are making you walk a long long way around temporary fencing to get from the trains to the tube. I work near Liverpool Street station and find the best way is Forest Hill to Shoreditch High Street then bus or walk, or train to London Bridge and BUS to Liverpool Street station - 149 or 48. Much better than the tube.

This is the Peckham Hill Street fella - anyone know who he is?

I'm originally from Surrey so go out that way a lot and the only way to go is a205/a3. You can avoid the Clapham Common/Battersea Rise bottleneck and also the Wandsworth High Street if you're clever with your cut throughs, although if you leave before 10am at the weekend, you'll probably be okay to drive straight through. Whatever you do, don't follow a sat nav as they always want to take you through Tooting/Merton which is traffic light after traffic light and is just awful for traffic.

If you think it would help if she saw a familiar face when she starts then I'm happy to meet up with you nearer the time with my daughter who is also starting in September (who is very social and loves playing with other girls).

Hey Shell, thanks for posting. Good to hear its nothing more than that. I look forward to enviously peering at your newly landscaped garden soon!

I saw the bonfire you are referring to as my garden backs onto the gardens on Barry Road. The fire didn't seem that huge when it started but when I came back from the shops, my house stank of it. It was so strong that I was actually worried that something was on fire in my house as all my windows and doors were closed. There's loads of building stuff in the garden so they might be doing some extensive works on the house. Perhaps they were burning building debris - hope they don't make a habit of it.

I got a text to tell me I had an email 15 mins ago. Got 2nd place - Goodwich (1st choice was Heber which is ever so slightly nearer).

That's so lovely!

Fi from West Dulwich Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hello Damzel, sorry the day doesn't work for you > although if you like the sound of this you may > want to try Nature Play in Dulwich Woods on > Thursday mornings, it shares the same ethos and > many of the same people from the Magic Circle go > to it: > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nature-Play-South-Ea > st-London/207738685928324 Thanks! That looks perfect

Love the sound of this, if only it were on Thursday mornings.

You are very articulate GinaG3. I just wanted to offer you some reassurance really. Last summer my daughter (4 next week) started saying to me "I wish you had a baby in your belly" and "why aren't any of our neighbours little girls" and "I wish I had a sister" etc etc. I felt sad that she obviously felt so lonely - like you all I could offer her was adult company as we don't have any close friends with kids and I work 4 days a week. In September she started at Gumboots nursery and within a month, when we were walking home she said to me "mummy I have LOTS of friends!". It was so lovely to hear that. Now, 6 months later she has 8 friends coming to her birthday party (and I'm freaking out as I have NO idea what to do with them!)

Loz Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > damzel Wrote: > > > Do they really deter cats? > > Depends on how hard you throw them and how good > your aim is. That'll be a no then!