intexasatthe moment

what a brilliant idea ! Fingers crossed for you that it helps.

All this talk of doing one's best/not resting on your laurels/trying your hardest. For me this translated into being a perfectionist and ,though others may succeed in balancing this trait ,I never have and it's definitely blighted my life. Girls can become very competitive in high achieving schools. I have two nieces from the same family - one went to a state comprehensive and the other to a selective private school. Guess which one became anorexic ? I understand what you're saying about not wanting your daughter to learn that she can coast/rest on her laurels so hope you don't mind this word of caution ,always being challenged ,not resting on your laurels can be a double edged sword. Suppose it depends on your personality some become neurotic, others might thrive on being stretched - your daughter might thrive and become the next Prime Minister !

Yes - voted. Though possibly because I'm half asleep ,took me a while to find correct advert.

Thanks for that Michael. Was just about to dash off a cheque - you wouldn't know who to make payable to would you ? ( save me phoning up ) South London Press ? Must say I was depressed /shocked to read article in Guardian today - one of the residents has only just managed to borrow a clean pair of trousers . And with other threads informing that donations are needed of toiletries,nappies etc - I wonder how much help has been offered by Southwark ?

Didn't the PTA resign en masse earlier this year ?

Try this http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/childrenandfamilies/Nurseries/ for answers to your questions.

Well said Louisiana.

I was a bit shocked to read this The highest spending ( in London )was Southwark, which paid ?4.776 million for publicity last year, which was actually a 5.5 per cent drop on 2006/07. in the Evening Standard last year.

Ways to help http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?9,304307 this is more like the debate I was hoping for..

Umm ,last few posts all seem a bit off topic. Just reading in paper that people not being allowed back into their homes in Lakanal House. How awful for them ,fire bad enough and now they're going to have to cope with not being allowed back . Or will the police let them return to collect stuff ? I guess Southwark must have a team dealing with this emergency,wonder how they're coping ,providing practical support etc?

I'm with Andy - take the cone.

Sounds terrific - thanks.

Just done a search on "what's on " for info on Sculpture Show ,but no luck. Any details ,anyone?

Beats me how it's possible to give a figure for number of cases . Latest advice is that GPs will be able to diagnose swine flu on the basis of symptoms rather than waiting for laboratory testing and If you think you have swine flu, stay at home and either check your symptoms using the NHS flu symptom checker, or call 0800 1 513 513. If you still think you have swine flu, call your local GP. They will be able to diagnose you over the phone. Do not go to the GPs surgery or to the hospital in person. from http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Swineflu/DG_177918

Roll clothes like a sausage.

Yep - Tintagel Crescent,near Mind charity shop on goose green roundabout does a late collection.

oh ,poor thing - hope you get them back.

Does anyone know the science around gaining some immunity from possible second wave outbreak in Autumn ? I mean if you catch it now is your immunity enhanced ,or does the virus just keep mutating as it goes from person to person ?

Hi ,my experience is very dated but still may be of use. My son went to Goodrich ten years ago when it far outstripped Heber with regard to league tables. Our experience was that a great many teachers were NQT's - when I added it up my child had a newly qualfied teacher ( just out of training ,no previous experience ) for over 50% of his time at the school . And despite their enthusiam I'm afraid that this was not a good experience. So this may be something to inquire about /research in either school. Personally I found Goodrich very cliquey ( regarding parent groups ) and the layout of classrooms and playgrounds too spread out . I don't think the playgrounds were adequately supervised - social interaction very important at this age . So ask about playground supervision - tho I'm sure you'll be given a load of spin.It's a problem in schools . Ask about toilets ,where are they located ? what's the policy ?do they send children in pairs or with a Teaching Assistant? I found the toilets to be miles away from some of the reception classrooms at Goodrich. And don't even get me started on the drinking fountains - ask about water /drinks .Check that the fountains actually WORK . All the children in my son's reception class were drinking from the taps in the toilets - and guess what ? There was a major epidemic of vomitting and diarrhea. Sorry to be so gloomy - kids are resilent and their experience at home is much more important than their experience at school.You just might need to remind yourself and take heart.

Andy ,I'm so with you on the green advanced boxes .I too think it's safer to wait in line rather than edge up on the inside and then put myself in a dodgy position ,with cars turning left ,in the green box. Though every junction is different. I'm a cyclist of many years and find the roads more difficult now ,mainly because of the huge increase in the number of cyclists. The roads just aren't suitable for a combined volume of cyclists and cars ,a situation compounded by the condition of the roads with holes,dropped manhole covers etc. Plus the range of cycling " styles " ( some proficient ,speed supremos,some pedestrian ,some out of it plugged into headphones ,some nervous ) seems greater than that of motorists.This plus the silence with which someone on a bike approaches makes it hard to anticipate /be aware of what's happening . With motor vehicles there seems to be greater consistency ,so as a motorist you're all doing the same thing. So sad as I adore cycling .

Anyone know wherabouts in Barry Rd ?

EmmaG - the statement that was sent in with the planning application says that start and finish times for school day ,breaks and lunch ,will all be staggered. I would have thought that this will take up quite a lot of staff time to manage and seems to me to be tantatmount to admitting that the site is too small for the numbers involved. But I've never worked in a secondary boys school so my thoughts might be wrong!

Good points ,thebeard.

Mick Mac - you were asking about girls schools . This thread may be of interest http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?25,253238,page=1 Although ,like " onthe edge " it cites Prendergast and Haberdashers which aren't exactly open to many children from East Dulwich. Kingsdale is highly recommended by people these days.

Personally I have serious misgivings about Academies .Multi million buildings are handed over to sponsors who now do not have to part with any cash at all. Public money ,our taxes ,back projects which are run by organisations who are not accountable in the same way as community schools. We do not know the amount Lord Harris has given as this information is deemed to be commercially sensitive and withheld. We do know that Academies are outside the Freedom of Information Act , and can determine admissions policies and the curriculum. Academies have to ?have regard ? to the SEN code of practice . Sounds ok ,but why are they not required ,as community schools are ,to follow the code ? Parents of children attending community schools have some say in the running of the school,some redress when they are aggrieved or have a complaint because such schools have balanced Governing Bodies. The funding agreements for Harris Academies show that the Governing Body ? shall have ? 11 sponsor governors ,1 staff governor, and 1 parent governor. Some Academies have no staff representation at all. I could go on ,the generous start up funds and right not to take excluded pupils in the first years of an Academy?s life ,the introduction of GNVQ where 1 GNVQ is equal to 4 GCSE passes all of which artificially inflate the success of Academies. This article says more if people are interested. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2007/apr/03/schools.newschools But with regard to this particular Academy I think people feel let down by Southwark. There was local support for a mixed secondary school in East Dulwich. Rather than meet this need ,an all girls school was opened on the much larger site in Homestall Rd .The original proposal for the Friern Rd site was for a much lower figure but this slowly increased to the 900 odd it is now.The original proposal was for the two schools to have one head and for the sixth form to be based in Homestall Rd. Now we have a small site with a huge number of children . To manage the site it is proposed to stagger the start and finish times for different years. Proposals to bus children to off site PE facilties talk of arranging PE lessons at the end of the day and before lunch . I suppose it won?t matter if staff and children miss some of their lunch time .And the staff won't have much redress if they're unhappy - their salaries and conditions of employment are determined by that Sponsor dominated Governing Body. The shiny Harris presentation might look good ( I personally don?t think it does ) but this is not the school that many people wanted.