Lmcg46

Can't beat Shirley Hughes: Alfie's Christmas or The Christmas Eve Ghost.

We're also thinking of a tablet for our 10 year old - weighing up Amazon over just a standard android tablet. So any guidance on relative merit and practicality welcome.

Is there a collecting point in HOP? Is it second hand or new that you're looking for? We've got some barely worn kids boots.....and some more so but still perfectly wearable.

We've been to this one at Dulwich Sports Club before which is good for young kids. http://dulwichsports.co.uk/

I wonder if perhaps the kids won't be aware necessarily of the negatives of the situation. For example, not having older kids around doing work beyond your level that you can aspire to. And teachers having 3 years of non-exam syllabus teaching and the effects that may have. I don't know how strong those aspects (and others like them) may be and whether they're offset by others. But I'm not sure that as a pupil you can really assess them if you know nothing different (and if the school constantly pushes the message on the positives!). I think all the schools will have pros and cons and they may even differ for different types of kids. It's so hard to truly work out which will be the 'best' option.

Sainsbury's often have a surprising range. And Farmers - they always seem to have everything you could ever want.

JJ00501 - According to the form, it has to be submitted before 12th October but I believe it has to be delivered directly to the school. Last year they had desks set up at the open days to manage just the scholarship applications. I think they may just be getting ahead of themselves with early assessments given the number of applications they get.

We've used Sitters on several occasions and always been impressed with the quality of the people we get. Often they're nursery staff and will quickly get on with the kids etc. And the best bit is that at the end you pay them and they go almost as soon as you get back - no standing around to chat when you're exhausted and just want your bed!

Heading to France on hols and trying to work out if paying the extra for the standard TV in a caravan is worth it. Does anyone know if standard TV in France has any kids stuff in English? Much as I'd love to think the kids will be out playing and having wonderful holiday fun with new found friends, I know my kids and know that having something to switch on occasionally will help our sanity. We've taken DVD's in the past but I think they're getting past the stage of being happy to watch the same DVD over and over again.....we'd need a small library. I think the camp wireless may struggle with other options, if we can even get Netflix etc without having to access (&pay) for the french version. Anyone found a good solution?

I'm trying to post in the Family room but I never get past this input screen - even when I hit post message either directly or via the preview. I've tried Chrome and Explorer in case it was the browser. Any advice? (Presuming this one can post here!)

Thanks Hazel. That's really useful info. I think we'll experiment and see if anything makes a difference. I suspect that if there is anything it's at the margins of having an impact as she seems to be coping with most stuff quite well. Would just be nice if I could find something that makes reading more appealing as I do think she'll get into it big time once she gets going.

Do as you'd like others to do to you and respect each other. And more obviously perhaps, no hitting, poking, biting, generally being nasty to each other. We also limited TV as part of our house rules. I was amazed how well my kids took to them (6 & 8).

Given the age of your kids, I suspect avoiding August isn't an option, sadly. Eurocamp style campsite with mobile homes on the west coast of France are a good bet with kids. Some are very close to the beach and got pools and activities onsite - but still close enough to lots of lovely more cultured stuff offsite if you feel like venturing out. The kids hopefully make friends which can ease the pressure a bit. Cost isn't horrific. Weather fairly reliably good without roasting.

Open for takeaway. Hoping to be fully open in a week or so, according to Shona this morning. Cakes are delicious.....they've been missed!

I have a daughter who is a reluctant reader - quite able but always finds lots of excuses as to why she doesn't want to read such as she doesn't like scratchy paper, she prefers less dense text etc. Her school aren't at all worried and I'm trying not to be either. I was reading something on dyslexia for my job earlier in the week and some comments just started me thinking as to whether the excuses my daughter uses could indicate a very mild level of dyslexia. I had been thinking that a Kindle might be a good way to let her read books without the scratchy paper. But if she did have any level of dyslexia, do they tend to help or hinder? Are different types (standard / paper white) better or worse? I appreciate that there are lots of different ways that dyslexia can affect people and I don't want to make a big thing of it as I could well be totally wrong - I hope I am. But equally, if I'm going to try it, I'd rather avoid anything that could make it worse. Any advice from those who know more than me?

Does anyone know if an allergy to cats is likely to mean an allergy to other furry creatures? Our kids are really pestering us for a pet but one has had some allergy to cats in the past. It would be a useful reason to use to put them off! Half of me would love a pet but the other half is being very practical!

7.31 from Nunhead only 4 cars. This should be fun!

I thought it was a nice change but now, especially the eldest, is so into it I'm beginning to wonder. I did wonder if it's something to do with the colours - all the shows are so vivid in colour. But I'm probably worrying over nothing and I should be glad it's taken over her Dumping Ground obsession. (Mmmm, maybe a character trait here is more to blame!!)

Are anyone else's kids hooked on Tiny Pop? My two are 6 and 8 and totally addicted even though the programmes seem really young. I can't quite work it out.

Doesn't look like much chance of a Sevenoaks train tonight. 17.27 currently above 45 mins late. Keeps getting later.

Yes, I've noticed that the Victoria trains seem far better than the Blackfriars ones. I often look longingly at the seats if I'm there early enough to see that service. The problems with the Blackfriars trains from Nunhead seem to have been building for some time. I've been using that train for I think 3 years now and it's got steadily busier. There did seem to be a bit of a step change a little while back (maybe about 6 months or so) but I think it was before Thameslink became visible as the brand - not sure if they were involved before it formally changed. The change in the 7.31 is horrible and clearly is affected by some effects further back the line as there can be quite large swings in how busy it is. It's never quiet and you can never get a seat from Nunhead but some days you can get on and some days it's just rammed. So the problems may be occuring elsewhere with other trains being delayed / cancelled and therefore passengers moving onto the stopping service.

I've been getting the 7.31 from Nunhead to Farringdon for a few years now. I moved to this one as the 8.15 then the 8am got too busy. Gradually too though, I've seen the chance of getting a seat get more and more remote. Now it's a question as to whether I can actually get on the train some mornings, it's so full! I'm presuming it's due to cancellations or something further down the line. But I've had a week off since the changes happened at London Bridge / Honor Oak and I have to say, I'm dreading what the impact is going to be. It's getting silly that I need to get to work before 8am for a 9am job if I want to be sure of getting on a train! (I've given up on any question of a seat.....I just don't want to have my face in an armpit/book every morning!)

I think this is a school that is changing and will continue to change as the numbers feeding into the secondaries increases and the other schools that have been the choice of local parents over Harris Girls find their effective catchment areas contracting. As a Nunhead parent with a daughter 2 years away from this choice, I've felt slightly reassured that we had Harris on our doorstep and it seemed to be developing a broader academic base and not focusing solely on sport and media. I was keeping my eye on how it develops as it could be an option by the time we come to apply. I anticipated this academic base to develop further as the population changes. But if they go to lottery and the other schools stay based on distance, I'm not sure what options the girls local to the school will have - too far for the other traditional options, and their local school on lottery.

Bawdy-Nan - we've done loads of concerts, museums, books, outside activities etc etc with her. Some things work better than others. But generally, as soon as she needs to make any personal effort - whether that is doing an activity, walking somewhere, reading a book etc, she just gives up and doesn't want to make the effort. I feel that she's got too used to being told that everything she does is good - she has no concept of trying to push herself beyond her boundaries, however small the steps, whether physical or mental. When I've addressed this with the teachers, they really don't come up with any strategies to deal with it. It's kind of, she's doing well so what are you worrying about. I'm starting to try and encourage her to take pride in doing a her best, to see that there can be satisfaction in knowing you've earned the praise. But I want to be secure in how far I encourage her to go - I don't want to put her off by trying to 'encourage' her beyond the point she can go. You're right that it's not all about academic achievement.

Fuschia - we never got exact KS1 results, just the normal info on where she fell in the different bands and where they thought she would be the following year if she continued on her current trajectory. I asked her teacher this year if she felt she did her best in class as we struggled at home and her answer was to refer to the 'self-assessment' of effort which was attached to each exercise in her book - which was always 'I did my best' so point proven according to the teacher. My daughter admitted when asked though that she didn't always try her best but ticked that as she thought that was what the teacher wanted to see. I think as others have said, the primaries have a big job to do and don't have the resources to challenge the brighter students. Perhaps rightly, they focus on getting the less able or the less well supported as far as they can. I just wish I felt confident that they would assess and tell me honestly what my kids are able of and let me feel confident to support them where the school can't. But that's probably a politically impossible ask.