intexasatthe moment

Any help ? "Subsidence and Other Cracks Thu, 29/03/2012 - 22:14 -- Anonymous Since the early 1970's, building insurance policies have included 'damage caused by subsidence, heave or landslip' or similar wording. Subsidence, heave and landslip all involve foundation movement, but so does settlement. Typical insurance policy definitions are :- Subsidence: The downward movement of the ground (upon which the building is founded) for reasons unconnected to the loading of the ground from the building Settlement: The downward movement of the ground upon which the building is constructed due to the inability of the ground to satisfactorily support the load of the building Heave: The expansion of the ground (beneath a building) for reasons unconnected to the existence of the building Landslip: Downward movement of sloping ground due to its self weight or imposed loading exceeding the shearing capacity of the ground So subsidence is caused by some factor or other affecting the soil under the foundations. These include: Drying out and shrinkage of cohesive (clay) soils Softening of cohesive soils by leaking drains Erosion of sandy soils by leaking drains Collapse of mine workings or natural cavities If a building is subsiding uniformly, and by moderate amounts, there may not be much of a concern. In fact it probably will not be noticed. The problem is that subsidence usually occurs to only one part of the building, or more severely to one part than the rest. It is this differential subsidence which damages buildings, mainly by cracking and pulling apart the structure. "

The head plays THE role in determining the ethos ,life and success of a school . The kind of relationaship that teachers and school staff have with pupils will be determined by the head's approach and attitude . I don't think anyone has suggested that they expect the head to be available to have face to face chats about whims .Just that they'd like to meet him as part of the process of visiting and choosing a primary school . Seems reasonable to me and hardly an either the head concentrates on improving a school or he's there as part of his team showing potential pupils' parents the school . Surely he can do both ?

James - why on earth would you want to keep the criteria used to compare sponsors a secret ? I just don't understand that ,can you explain ? I've not said that Habs are creaming talented children - where did you get that from ? Was it because I asked if anyone knew the rationale behind Habs opting for a different banding system than the one used by other Lewisham schools ? Or because I said that being geographically close to The Charter ( if this all goes ahead ) they'd be in competition for talented children ?

I suppose the problem might be that the proposed new Habs school and The Charter are geographically close . The admissions policy for a new Habs could/ ? would put them in competition for the brightest kids . Does anyone know by the way why Habs operate a banding system which differs from other secondary schools in Lewisham . My understanding is that Lewisham schools have 5 bands based on school sats results but that Habs have their own test ( non verbal ) and 9 bands . And a percentage allocated as music scholarships ?

The first post on the " New Haberdashers Aske's school etc " was ammended after the announcement of the chosen sponsor to include a Q & A as to the criteria used to chose between Hab's and Charter . I had asked ,several times if we could be told the criteria to be used and it seems odd to draw up and publish a list only after the choice had been made . However ...It includes this statement " Has a fair and transparent admissions process. (Banding and distance.) " I assume this means that one of the criteria to be met was a school that would operate an admissions policy which was based on banding with places within bands allocated as per distance . So that would suggest that if Habs go ahead they will implement their banding and admissions policy and that not having this policy was one of the reasons ( made known after the fact ) why Charter were ruled out . So I think we do know what admissions policy Habs will use if they go ahead . Unless they've told the steering group they'll satisfy that criteria but are planning to do something else . Which I can't see .

ok ,didn't realise there was such a thing as temporary lines . Makes sense . Thanks for clearing that up .

Anyone else thinking that painting and then removing yellow lines to allow a few weeks work seems like an expensive overkill ? Was there no other method ?

" They explained they'd seen dramatic improvement in primary school SAT scores but stable scores in non verbal reasoning scores used for banding. " So no change in results of non verbal tests used to place pupils in bands ? But pupils transferring from the feeder primary school gain 25 out of 61 places in the top 2 bands . Even though their success rate in the banding tests remain stable ?

Good story for South London Press . Who knows may even galvanise Southwark into responding . " I do understand that community councils can be allocated control of smallish funds, which they can allocate in prescribed areas, and that of course they can express opinions on anything of relevance. But what actual power and function do they have in matters of traffic management decisions and actions? A priori, perhaps na?vely, I'd have assumed none, other than as a stater of opinion. " - good point Ianr . Would love to know the answer . Sympathies to those affected .Life is stressful enough .

Chapter and verse on banding if it helps anyone . http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/i/informationnoteonbandingfeb09.pdf

I'm not sure what to think about this . I don't like the idea of all through schools - just feel that kids sometimes need a fresh start and that their options to go elsewhere will be diminishing with this trend . Also feels a bit like indoctrination - Pimlico Academy that I'm a little familar with and follow are very keen on a particular American curriculum following ED Hirsch and they start young with them at primary . Reminds me of that Jesuit thing - give me a boy at 7 ..... .Except now it's a child at 4 or 5 .http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/oct/15/hirsch-core-knowledge-curriculum-review I digress . Could not including the primary transfer pupils in the banded places available be fairer ? Means all external candidates are competing on a level playing field ? But obvioulsly limits amount of places available and presumably shifts the whole " buying into the area " tactic down to primary school level . What a nightmare . What a mistake that we've gone down this route of Academys ,Free Schools and not put the money poured into them to better use in improving LA ( and in my dream world inner london authority ) schools .

I'm not sure I can get my head round it either .....but it does seem that if you take the numbers of places offered to external applicants ( ie total number less places going to primary school transfers ) the band sizes are almost equal . 18 , 18 , 17 ,19 ,17 ,20 ,19 ,19 ,19 , And yes it does look like a large nos transferring from the primary school are in the higher bands - 15 in band 1 and 10 in band 2 .

If you deduct the nos of pupils transferring from the primary school the band sizes become more equal .

As simone and mariababe say ( if I'm reading their posts correctly ) Haberdashers divide up each years applications into 9 ,so the score needed for each band will vary each year according to who has applied . My understanding is that Haberdashers band by score and allocate places within the bands by giving priority according to distance . I think you're right that this can disadvantage yr 6 pupils if there are a lot of high scoring pupils all competing for a couple of top bands . Again as far as I understand Harris have a different way of banding in that the scores required for each band reflect the national average scores rather than the top ninth /bottom ninth etc of those applying in any particular year . I think banding is not as simple as it seems ,I know I find it confusing ,and I don't think schools publish much information . You can search on line on gov websites with guidance on admissions policies and there is some detail there on different types of banding .

Bit harsh mariababe . Many school websites lack clear detailed information . Hardly surprising that people get information from picking things up from word of mouth/on line forums . I'm sure if one looks at the two schools admissions policies ( as opposed to oversubscription ) there are more similarities than differences - looked after children etc .

Vik - I thought Charter's admission policy was solely on safe walking distance ,giving priority to those who live closest to school . And I thought Haberdasher's was banded ? Have one of them changed ? Edited to add - might be a sucking eggs situation here and if so apologies ,but bear in mind that what when we/most of us say Admissions Policy what we're refering to is the oversubscription polocy .

I found a description of their admissions/oversubscrition policy on a 2008 Funding Agreement which I guess might be current policy . My reading is that they have 9 bands and they divide up each years intake ( as opposed to referencing to national scores ) and try and fill each band with equal numbers . Assume they give preference to proximity within those bands . Can anyone post a link to a current doc explaining policy ? Will they use same policy if they go ahead with new school ?

Hindmans Rd ? Double yellow lines ? Surely a mistake ?

minder - the cost of the school - land ,building ,teachers salaries - will be paid for by the government with tax payers money . The setting up of a new school can now be activated by a group of individuals who feel they need a new school near them . The curriculum and terms and conditions pay ,qualifications etc of staff employed can be determined by the sponsor chosen to run the school . So pretty important stuff ,pretty important decision about who is to run the school .

Can anyone point me to a document where Haberdashers explain their banding system ?

I think we have to blame the system , not The Charter School . It allows a group of people to get together and start proceedings for a new school in the interests of expanding choice . That group of people make a decision on which sponsor to go with . I'm sure they try to represent what they perceive people's wishes to be . Personally I feel the process here was a little lacking in substance and transparency ,but that's just my view and it doesn't preclude my view that those parents involved acted with the best of intentions .

When I drove past the bins today I realised that they weren't fixed and could easily ( tho not if recovering from surgery ) be shoved along . If I'd realised that I wouldn't have raised the issue in the first place . Thanks to whoever has moved them . I'm afraid I don't quite understand the point Kiera makes .

James ,just to be clear the guardrailing is not a problem . It is the large litter/recycling bins that are the problem . They have recently appeared in this position and presumably could easily be removed . 20mph not an element in positioning of bins .

James ,apologies if this has already have been raised but - junction of Whately Rd and Lordship Lane ,turning right into Lordship Lane from Whately Rd ,vision is badly obscured for motorists by recycling bins . Could they be relocated ?

Mmmm ,well we ( I ) need to find out ,I fear loss of hearing is creeping up on me . As is . Sigh .