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tiddles

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Everything posted by tiddles

  1. interesting points all round. London mix, I find your input interesting, and whilst understanding your point, I have a real problem with the traditional grammar school system that was the norm in the uk. Children were separated out at age 11 as to what their academic path would be. Pass the exam, and you get onto the escalator of opportunity - yes brilliant if you pass the exam (esp if you are from a deprived background) however, fail, and you were pretty much cut off from alot of opportunities and probably given second class teaching. I feel that most people flourish, acadmically, at different times - some at age 5, some 8, others 10, others 14, 16 and so on. There are thankfully lots of stories of people overcoming the odds and doing fantastically well - brilliant. However there are loads of people who, I expect, have always felt cheated because they 'failed' at 11 for whatever reason. I am all for streaming, but within comprehensive schools so all children are challenged to their ability, but I like the idea that that brilliant maths teacher mr smith gets the best out of his brilliant pupils, and gets the best out of his less able pupils also!! Let's give all children the best facilities, and let them all rise to the challenge. The grammar school argument always seems to be to let the best children flourish. However everyone thinks their child will, of course, pass the exam. If everyone moved to the areas that have grammar entrance exams then the schools cannot just soak them all up like a sponge - the numbers will be limited and the pass grades will be increased leading to alot of disappointment and consignment to the scrapheap of lots of able children. So then this leads to lots of extra tutoring by those parents on the ball(or can afford it) , and those bright kids whose parent don't know how to play the system lose out - so the social mobility thing falls on its face. I say this as an eleven plus failure who was supposed to pass (oh the emotional baggage) who through luck and circumstance went on to get a good degree etc. Lots of people like me would not have had that second chance. I feel passionately about good education for all. Also, I think if your child is really super bright, make those flipping private schools on our doorstep give your child a place for free and make them justify their non VAT charitable status!! There was an interesting piece about grammar schools on the vanessa feltz programme a week or so ago, and many of the secondary modern pupils were phoning in to say how poor their teachers were. This is exactly my problem with idea of a first and second class system. apologies for hijacking this thread to go off road!!
  2. I am tempted to write via the email links given above but am concerned about being labelled difficult or worse, struck off their list (I should hasten to add I have no previous 'history' ) which I believe makes it tricky to be taken on elsewhere.
  3. I must admit I too am getting sick of the hoops one has to jump thro to see a doctor. When I mentioned to the receptionist that how tricky it is, I was told it was a nationwide problem and the phone was put down on me. Once one has an appt, the doctors are great but this queing outside in the morning lark is just not on (an not always practical with small children and school run) I am seriously thinking about changing now even though we have been with them for sixteen years.
  4. yes tread very carefully with anything to do with southwark - they are an absolute nightmare. all contact is via a call centre, there is no continuity so, as we have found, things drag on for months (currently six) and there is no one answerable. Emails are not replied to and everytime you contact the call centre, nothing has happened, and the poor minion logs everything on the system to absolutely no avail. next time you call, there is no record of your many frequent calls. The only human I did manage to talk to re costs, told me that they cannot tell you how much any work will cost ( this is for a privately owned but southwark leasehold flat) until the end of next year when they send the bills out, but they cannot tell you what they have been quoted. Sorry to be so pessimistic, but it is only when you realise the enormity of their incompetance that you realise it might be worth thinking about a bit more. best of luck
  5. Yes as a parent of two children there I watched this with great interest. I am certainly not defending any cheating practices. I think the pressure schools are under to 'perform' can only be to blame. No doubt after all this, ALL schools are going to be on their best behaviour as westof points out. I too was cheesed off with Tessa Jowell - Kingsdale did not want to become an academy and did so very reluctantly since there was no information available from the powers that be as to what the alternative would if they did not. Lastly, my children are incredibly happy and motivated. I really do not want any upheaval at the school or politically motivated intervention for the sake of scoring points.
  6. actually I am quite glad - it was beginning to spin out of control again and was getting rather bizarre!
  7. Southwark council used to have a list of their registered childminders. might be worth starting there. good luck. returning to work is stressful enough without worrying about childcare!
  8. that's why the trains are so great! 10 mins to city from peckham rye a further 5 - 10 mins from london bridge to charing cross, or get the fast train to victoria then up to oxford circus. When I lived in tooting, it was almost an hour on the tube to the west end and you would wait at kennington for a charing cross branch train). I find the transport links here far superior. (I have always hated buses tho so never do them) People had never heard of east dulwich and would never venture to south east london when we moved here twenty years ago. Let's carry on keeping it a secret before the prices get even more bonkers and the dreaded chains change the face of our high street for ever ( I'll amend that to affluent chains as I like iceland and co-op along side our independent shops and the marvellous 'cookwank' shops that as a laydeee, I absolutely adore)
  9. yes I too have just discovered iceland!! lots of the basics (and branded) at good prices.
  10. what about the baby pool at peckham leisure centre? I could be out of touch, but when mine were toddlers, the sessions where the pool was made very shallow was perfect - because they could stand they had the confidence to start swimming and were soon whizzing about like seals. apologies if that pool isn't open any more!!
  11. now if it had been a state school beating a private school, that would have caught my attention!! Yes well done to ALL the hardworking children at ALL the schools.
  12. I have def noticed the dog scratching again despite regular dosing with advocate. The cats seem to be fine tho! we have a can of the stuff from the vets, bit I am always really cautious about using it as I worry about the effect on the animals (and us actually) esp the small rodents in the house ( and i mean hamsters not just the mice the cats bring in!!) I really daft to be worrying about the effects of the fumes on the animals - am I being overly concerned?? I always read the labels and they really push the ' keep room closed for 2 hours and then aerate thoroughly:"
  13. I'd like to see how Charter and Askes would respond to such a demand!!
  14. what about describing something as a genuiune imitation?? That way everyone knows what it is.
  15. there is a difference between the occasional bark and relentless barking from the same dog especially when it wakes you up in the night. You get to the point that you are in a constant state of agitation every time you hear one bark waiting for the onslaught to begin. I say this as a dog owner who used to live near a relentlessly barking dog!
  16. yes a bit of an odd response from i*rate about a perfectly reasonable query. I completely sympathise with anyone suffering noise pollution (and the angst of hearing a dog barking and worrying about it)
  17. hi, I am probably being dim, but I can see the route but not the timings for the torch passing thro peckham can someone enlighten me? thanks
  18. I have no idea what on earth any school with a modicum of common sense is doing setting homework at such a young age - especially if is causes problems. What a fantastic way to turn children off learning!! Year 8, yes, age 8 no!! I have heard from one primary school teacher that they don't really want to set homework, but they are pressurised by SATS obsessed parents, and feel obliged to prove their worth. I really feel sorry for you and quite incensed on behalf of your poor boy.
  19. yes I know, apologies, wrist slapped (altho I did say it was a snooty thing to say) I'll shut the door behind me.......
  20. god that's awful!! I am hoping its a northern/essex thing. Yes, I know before you all have a go, what a snooty thing to say. But I just feel my middle age rage descending..... I have to say tho, thinking about all the 11 - 14 year old girls I know, most of them would rather stick pins in their eyes then turn out toshed up like that!!
  21. crikey I'm still reeling at what was quoted as an average income - ?150 - ?170k. sorry, obviously very out of touch!!
  22. use old cereal boxes laid down, cut a flap in the front panel and you can safely keep a layer. Add boxes ontop, and if you stack them carefully they will not squash caked in box below
  23. I know I sound like a complete old bat but I cannot bear this "prom" business. It is an americanism that I cannot stand!! A 'leaving school disco/party' I can deal with - what the heck does 'prom' stand for anyway. gets back to knitting and cocoa....
  24. I have visited the new vets and they are fantastic. I too have found lordship lane very good, as also the vet in Holly Grove. I think the reason some people will move is certainly not dissatisfaction, rather convenience.
  25. it's Hayley crying because phoebe isn't coming home on the arranged date. Don't know why she has a stupid ringtone tho. what a fuss.....
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