intexasatthe moment

Lolly sticks in the spokes ?

. From what I've seen I believe Katharine is utterly committed to children from disadvantaged backgrounds - far more than she is to children generally I'm afraid this grates on me . Two decades ago when Kingsdale was not the school it is now ( no sixth form ,not mixed in any sense ) and was the only offer made to us ,we chose to send our son to Pimlico . Long distance ,socially isolating for son but we were happy with the all inclusive feel of the school and the way all children ( disadvantaged ,middle class ,academically able ,those struggling ) were valued as individuals . Sadly it became an Academy a couple of years ago and we've been flooded with patronising twaddle about " building the social capital " ,faux public school emphasis on houses ,rugby and rowing ,World Challenge ,talks from bankers etc. The after school club my son enjoyed ( the ageing hippy board game Dungeons and Dragons ) has been ditched in favour of police cadets ,street dance etc . All fine ,except it's so one size fits all - it's no longer a school that caters for all comers . That emphasis on aiming to help the disadvantaged really worries me ,it's so patronising and it can also lead to really heavy handed discpline where all children are treated as semi feral and as though they are gun carrying gang members . Edited to say - of course I'm not saying that it's wrong to aim to help the " disadvantaged " ,it's just that I'm wary of someone who makes it the main/sole focus .

you wouldn't be up in arms about the system, had your son been allocated one of your choices. Well probably not ,but people do tend to take on only those social inequities that affect them personally . People may not agree with how Mark is tackling this problem but I'm not going to criticise him for wanting to do something about the situation he finds himself in .

As for single sex schools - I went to an all girls school and my experience was not like zebans . Very claustrophobic ,very very bitchy /cliquey . More recent experience of nieces attending all girls is one of rampant anorexia and fierce competitiveness . My partner who is extremly laid back about everything went to an all boys and our son would have done the same over his dead body . It's not normal to seperate the sexes ,it's hardly a reflection of real life . And I think parents do care more about this issue because they have more experience of life than their children.

Citymum - well that's what I understand from this Renata Hamvas April 05, 02:33PM Some updates- I have raised an enquiry to establish if there are any plans for Harris Boys and Girls to merge and highlighting that this is what some local parents have expressed a wish for. In terms of the 44 places shortfall in the Borough this year, this would not have occured if it hadn't been necessary to closeSt Michael's and all Angels to new entrants this year. Following rebuilding, it will open in 2013 as a new ARK run all boys school. As well as this there wil be a new mixed Academy in Walworth on the site of the previous Walworth lower school. This is planned for a September 2014 opening. It will be non-denominational and is planned to have a STEM speciality (science/technology/mathematics). Renata

Fuschia - Peckham Academy have reduced their intake by 60 with effect from Sept 2011 . They've also opened a nusery ( 60 places ) on site as a forerunner to a primary school . I think it's strategic ,to improve the school . All done with full knowledge of Southwark Admissions Forum . And of course soon Southwark won't even have to have an admissions forum if the current white paper proposals are enshrined in law . Sleepwalking......

There wouldn't be a shortage of secondary school places if the Academy@Peckham ( co-ed ,huge site ,great transport links ,perfect for "getting behind " hadn't reduced it's roll by 60 places . Though according to Southwark the shortage is down to St Michaels and All Angels not having any admissions due to rebuild . And it's future reopening as an all boys ARK Academy . Although of course ,in the long term ,Harris's move at Peckham will probably assist it's reinvention . No vacancies so no need to offer places to all comers ,grow your own intake by having a primary school on site .... But I agree - this is what you get when make all your schools Academies and such like . And now the primaries are going down that route . Heaven help us .

joobjoob - When I read your post I thought heck ,didn't realise Harris Girls had been closed down because of gang activity . But having read the link you posted ,it seems that one Friday afternoon Harris Girls and Peckham Academy ( presumably the Harris Academy@Peckham ) closed an hour early because of fears of gang activity targeting children leaving school . Which ,to me ,gives it a slightly different emphasis .

And learn how to fake home address ,if my experience of Charter is anything to go by . Moi ,bitter ? Noooooo.

Thank you John Fowler for that post and for clarifying the process that attempts to change admission policies need to take . I'd not considered that admission policies might need to be kept under review - I spend so much time wondering what the perfect admission policy would be ,and giving up - that I'd not considered that it might be something that changes over time . Good luck with the Uni applications ,major A level traumas in our household :( .

Perhaps they are just not interested - no perhaps about it .

You could always try the lovely cafe in Dulwich Park . Although if you go before 4pm the scrummage will put you off and they'll have run out of basics like chips and white bread hours ago . If you go after 4pm you'll find half the seating closed off and drinks and food served in and off paper cups and plates . Well they're doing you a favour aren't they ,remaining (seemingly under duress ) open and relieving you of your money ? What more do you want ?

earlier discussion here http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,612634,614416#msg-614416

Letter in SLP yesterday criticising Lib Dem/Tory led Southwark (as it was last year ) for failing to challenge Kingsdale's admission policies . The writer notes "prospective parents ,and indeed Southwark council ,are able to ask the Secretary of State to make Kingsdale's admissions fairer for 2012 entry ...There is no time to loose .The Academy should confirm its 2012 admission arrangements by April 15 ,and although appeals can be lodged as late as July 1 ,it is best to have done so by mid May " Is Kingsdale a new Gove style Academy yet ? Is it still a Foundation school ? Is the process complaint to adjuicator ( who's resigned hasn't he ,because of proposed changes to code ) ,adjuicator makes recommendation to Sec of State the same for both ? Fuschia ?

Despite dominating the first half hour ,when they should have scored 3 times ,Dulwich lost 2 nil . It's the hoping that gets to you .

Renata - am I correct in believing that Southwark have been unable to offer a secondary school place to aprox 40 children ? Is this unusual ? And if Southwark is short of secondary school places was it really wise for one of it's Academies to reduce it's intake by 60 places ?

Mark - the EBac refers to a selection of GCSE's that Gove prefers (maths, English, science, a language and a humanity) ,so doesn't affect A levels . The International Baccalaureate offers much broader depth than A levels and some schools offer it as an alternative . Citymum - yes Peckham Academy has already opened a nursery on site ,as a precursor to the primary school . I suppose I can understand Peckham Academy's thinking and imagine they're correct in thinking it will give them a good intake .But was it a decision they made on their own ? It seems a bit ...isolationist ...,will suit the school ,but reduce secondary school places at a time when there is a shortage of secondary school places in the area . I wonder what real involvement ,if any ,Southwark had in this decision . I say if any because I know for instance that Southwark recommends that children only sit one set of banding exams for the secondary transfer but have seemed powerless to prevent the Harris Academies having their own banding system and tests . I worry that all the schools just end up as individual little states ,with no coordination . Maybe that wouldn't matter ? I don't know . Apparently the new education bill has proposals to change the rules that regulate admissions - eg there will no longer be a requirement for local authorities to have local admissions forums . These are made up of parents, headteachers, faith group representatives, and local authority and academy staff, and are supposed to consider the fairness of admissions arrangements across an area. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/mar/22/schools-admissions-reform-select-pupils And that does worry me .

I can't help wondering about the decision making process ( the rationale and input from Southwark ) behind the reduction * in roll of the Academy @ Peckham . Maybe just to make space for the 2 form primary school it's opening on the same site ? * from an annual entry of 240 to 180 . Hadn't realised it was such a big jump !

Head since 1998 and building revamp finished in 2007 - I agree Msgee ,schools also have to have the right intake to take off .

It does sound as though LED family have been thoroughly traumatised I have low low tolerance for bad behaviour and have perfected this very passive aggressive technique of giving very angry stares to children on the brink of feral behaviour. I do detest soft play type places and playgrounds for that matter - seems to bring out the worst in kids and parents (who mostly seem to be doing their best to ignore their kids). On the few occasions I have been, I spent all my time saying 'hey, watch it.. I'm watching you.....'. which I think is awful ,what a shame to feel you have to avoid playgrounds and soft play .

James - I'm shocked by your remarks about Deptford Green and by your reference to Harris Boys's admissions policy not taking distance into account .Which of course it does . Maybe you didn't mean the latter to be read like this . But I find the former unforgiveable . Are you having a bad day ? Coming down with something ? Seems out of character .

Hi - I've only skim read your post ,too much info for my little brain . But I've always thought hoe good it would be to have a kind of speaking tube attached to pushchair so that pusher and child could easily communicate .

However at crystal palace they don't hand them out like sweets like the boys school do. They hand them out like sweets at the boys schools ? Do they ,why would that be ? And why the difference ?

Kingsdale is meant to be a fantastic school . Some discussion here http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,629067 but put Kingsdale in the search box ,top right of page . I'm certain that your daughter will love Kingsdale and will do really well .

Kylie - that's awful for you and him . How's he going to learn anything if he feels like that ? Sadly discipline always seems to be the corner stone in schools trying to establish themseves/turn themselves around . They seem to treat all the children the same - as if they're all feral hoodlums who have to be broken. They don't seem able to treat children as individuals . You must make sure that the school understand how much this is impacting on his learning - how are they going to help him ? He's just as important as all the potential troublemakers that they're trying to mold .