tiddles

yup two weeks (altho I was told six...._) felt fine

and he was the priest/vicar in merlin sorry, sad spotter alert........

on reflection, I think Alice has summed it up. Two people have locked horns and never mind everyone else. I think the rest of the school - teachers, parents, pta and all the other key players in a school community are going to have to cut these two loose and get on with what they have all been doing - educating all their children in a fab local school. only the one glass tonight......

david harewood in Plough sainsburies!! ding dong!!

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's hard to decide who comes out of this the > worst I think it's the East Dulwich Forum that comes out of this worst. (sorry still enjoying my daily mail moment...) I know the forum is a fab way for people to keep tabs, etc on local issues, but in this case, the forum comes off worst because threads are interpreted indeed mis-interpreted to the nth degree sometimes to the point to it all going off thread. People are rightly passionate about their local schools and what happens in them - lets face it getting into them seems to be a flippin nightmare. And also, there is a sense of outrage when one feels there is something nasty going on - in this case racism. (because we are a bunch of indie/grauniad readers) I know I have read posts where I have felt I want to stick my fourpence worth in even when I have no personal knowlede of the story ( thank you I don't need reminding - esp after a glass or two) however the old cliche - there are two sides - needs to be stuck to. I do not have children at the school but I know people I respect from both 'sides' ie not sure about new leadership, blah blah. However, to get to be head of a school you have to be pretty damn good and have a few years of experience under your belt. Taking over a headship of a good school from a long standing respected head is a tricky path - esp when ofsted changes how they rate things so it suddenly appears to slump. Any changes in approach are not well received - playground walking versus paperwork pushing in office) I would also add (and this may be wrong but hey, I have had my two glasses) I don;t think race is an issue here! I think it is new versus old. People don't like change! oh lord, thats it, I'm doing what everyone else is doing and making sweeping judgements based on no proper evidence reggie, over to you

thank you reggie - marvellous - a gem sorry to go off thread admin

the lordship lane one is useless - sorry! have never been able to buy children's shoes there as they never have the sizes - they are usually looking to the season ahead, so now is probably a good time to buy winter boots. The one in bromley is fine. I 'second' the order from the website idea. what about biff? Someone posted about a new children's shoe place in the east dulwich warehouse recently I believe.

Don;t the contractors have any common sense at all???? Surely if these chaps who do trees all the time for southwark had any knowledge of trees they would have queried this?? reminds me of the mural at goose green fiasco .......

ASK!!. Many years ago when a commuter on the tube, I was completely engrossed in my book and when I got up to get off, there standing right in front of me, was a very heavily pregnant woman. I honestly was completely oblivious and I still cringe when I think about it.

I think one has a pretty good idea if a school really is a non starter. Sorry to be so judgemental but a very good friend who was allocated a school not on their list did exactly what Zeban suggested and got behind the school and sent him. After many attempts to get involved, after many instances of him and his friends being mugged within school and the staff too scared to do anything about it, she moved him. It seemed that there was not the strong staff or leadership in place able to contain the situation. Basically they were scared of the kids (or more to the point their parents) Yes we do need to give schools a chance (ie what kingsdale have done) but don't shout down people who have well and truly lost out in this lottery and feel angry and completley stuffed by it all. Before Kingsdale became an option, an awful lot of families moved to lewes to avoid this (I know of 8 families at least).

yes but refreshingly honest.... made me laugh, and like JB that little bit more

surely this is going to make it more dangerous for bike riders and motorcycles?? unless there are little lanes thro the obstructions for them to go thro?? god help any two wheeled vehicle approaching these with a bus on their tail!! sorry if this has already been mentioned but lots of long posts which didn't have time to wade thro

oh these are marvellous - how long before the community wardens take them down?? (shame)

had a very nice young lady at the door tonight. Let's face it, if you have to raise money (for a very good cause) sometimes you just have to go for the jugular. (remember Sir bobs 'just give us the ****** money!) I don't envy those door knockers and good on them. I did a door to door for the poppy appeal one year and it was just horrendous and humiliating!!

oh for goodness sake can we stop bashing a school that has turned itself round dramatically? why would scholarships attract only middle class parents? don't all parents want the very best for their child?? They used these incentives (and I don't know the ins and outs of the how the heck they financed it) to attract people to make them WANT to send their kids there rather than be the option that a few years ago made people move to kent to avoid it. Lets be thankful that we now have an additional co-ed school to add to the the list of acceptable secondary schools in the area. I understand how awful it is if you have got somewhere that was not on your list. Parents can express a preference and do not really get a choice do they? Please don't turn this into and anti kingsdale thing. As Msgee says, it seems to be Kingsdale parents blowing the trumpet. I don't see it as Kingsdale versusu Charter versus Askes, just thank goodness there is another school available - but obviously as has been pointed out - not enough co-ed non faith schools. Going off on a tangent here - purely out of interest - how do people feel about Peckham Academy? This now is the option that people don't seem happy to have got (or so I perceive) - but is it going to do a Kingsdale? Is it 'on the turn' I don't know any childred there and am just interested. Apologies if I offend anyone who has children there - I am going by old info which could be well out of date.

gosh I feel so sorry for all stress and disappointments caused to families at this time of year. It is not much help right now whilst you are still reeling, but many people do get somewhere they want on the second round (and later too). It is dreadful that your children are put in this position as well. Get on that phone and take up all the offers of help that any councillors offer out of interest, how did people get on with hassling the local authorities last year when they were in a similar predicament? very best wishes

Well I would start by approaching all the local primary schools! If you are going as a volunteer (ie free) I am sure any school would welcome some extra, CRB checked help! best of luck

looks like a real bottle neck on the south part where underhill meets barry? the pavement has been widened - this is going to cause problems if the p13 is there and cars coming down barry will not be able to turn left or cars wanting to cross barry will not be able nip across safely (stuck across barry - yikes). maybe I am not reading the plans correctly and the scale is fine?

actually I know of a couple of primary schools in east dulwich have spanish as a very large part of their curriculum = woven throughout the whole curriculum. I appreciate what you are planning to do but am heartily opposed to these free schools as it is just spreading what little there around even more thinly.

well I am not sure about the bubble wrap and the delayed clamping, but both my caeserian deliveries at kings were very like that. I could not recommend them highly enough.

don;t townley road do them? they certainly used to (or am I hopelessly behind the times?)

the other problem is that often the planning officer will say one thing, but then get over-ruled by their boss - who may not even 'get' the proposed work and common sense is over-ruled . Also there is the dreadful confusion about the 'new legislation' and how to interpret it as mentioned above - there are some even worse stories from lambeth so just thank your lucky stars you don't live there. Lastly the planners are supposed to respond to an application within a given time frame - they are often overstretched and rather than admit that and miss their targets, they refuse based on silly niggles (the plans aren't quite the right scale) and so. Sorry to sound so quite so negative but I don't have the alot of confidence in planning departments.

I went out for the day and left the bottle. Apparently after a bit of reluctance, she went for it. Anecdotedly my friend's sister had the same problem and she found the playtex worked. (I should add I don't have shares in the company!) good luck

ha ha this sounds VERY familiar. After exclusively breastfeeding we found it very difficult to get out baby to take a bottle. We spent a fortune on every bottle/teat on the market. The only one she took in the end was the playtex - get them online at amazon or infantcare direct. Just google playtex bottles and you find loads. best of luck and yes there IS light at the end of the tunnel!!1

I am anti academies as purchasing power is fragmented as mentioned by fuschia and there is bound to be a polarisation between schools that will be hard to overcome. The other thing is, who knows what lays ahead. When one particular school I know who was trying to find out what was entailed (reluctantly I would add) they did not seem to be able to get straight answers - since they policies had not been put in place - it was being made up as they went along almost. I would not be surprised if these academies have to start finding their own funding or a private sponsor in a few years time. Or perhaps I am just too cynical!!