carlito

Hi Honestly. It?s not great for anyone (or their parents) with SEN. They do pay lip service (pupil passports etc) but I?m not sure the pupils? experience is great. The SEN team seems v under resourced and current lead on mat leave (not that that?s an issue - but it feels as if they are more under resourced than ever now) My observation as a parent with a child with a diagnosis there is that the school?s main focus is building up its reputation as one of the best state schools in the area with the best results. It?s fine if you have a neurotypical child but not great otherwise. They are creaking under the pressure of so many mental health issues and diagnoses since covid that they simply can?t deliver what is needed right now. I?m not blaming them. It?s just circumstance and maybe this will improve as the school grows.

Hi. I am going on holiday to Portland in Dorset at the weekend for a week. I have never been to the area and wondered if anybody had any tips. We are keen to avoid the very busy beaches and some attractions are closed anyway. We have ten year old boys and young teen girls so this could be a little tricky.Any good beaches for rock pooling or any tips in general would be great. Also looking to see if there is anywhere nice other than a service station to stop en route around the half way mark. Thankyou in advance. ? looking for recommendations.

Hi. Is there anyone on here who has membership of the Southbank centre please? There is an event coming up that is rather expensive but marginally less so for members. If anyone is happy to lend their name/ membership details ( in exchange for a bottle of wine or similar obviously) then I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Thanks Mockney Have ordered the USB cable on Amazon (the easy part) and will tackle drivers (?) and software after as am almost certain that no-one did the necessaries when it was bought. Thanks very much - have been putting off for ages.

Hi I have a Sony HDD handycam and it's telling me the memory is full. I have never transferred any footage off it onto disc anything as I didn't know how, don't seem to have the box with any leads in etc . I know not having any backup is madness anyway as there is 3 years' worth of my daughter and son on there so I really need to get it backed up. So...Firstly if I don't appear to have any leads does anyone know what type of lead I need ? Also where is the best place to store the footage ?I'd love to be able to watch it on the TV (so DVD I guess) but is this the best way ?Or is it best saved on a computer ? (or both ?) I have an external hard drive with stuff from my recently written off computer sitting in the lounge - can you store footage on there ? (is still in box - yes I am a procrastinating technophobic) I am missing out on capturing lots of lovely things at the mo so want to get this sorted now so if anyone has any advice I would really really appreciate it. Thanks

hmmm as a single mum to a 3.5 yr old and 5 month old (yes testament to how much staying power some men have) some of these posts are almost making me feel glad about my situation.. that said - please don't forget all the good things that your husbands undoubtably bring - even if it is just 'being there' (yes I know that's not always a good thing), making a cup of tea in the morning when you have been up half the night, someone to share your day with (even if it is just tales of what the kids did that day) and someone to walk down Lordship lane with as a family on Saturday afternoons ! That said I do understand the frustrations of having a husband around and there is no longer any seething resentment in my house when one of them wakes in the night as there is no question of anyone else dealing with it but me, no having to pander to anyone else being ill and no need for 'a proper dinner' every night if I don't fancy!

Hi Am joining this thresd a bit late but I would love to come to the next meet up. Have you planned one as yet ?

Hi You call Southwark child services and ask them for an up to date (ahem) list of childminders in the area. You get a list of loads all detailing the sort of care they offer and what places they have. Go through the whole list and cross off any that instantly do not appeal (ie live too far away or just don't have much to say or anything that draws you to them) and work your way down the list. I treated it like I would do if I was at work - set 2 hours aside and just tried to speak to as many as possible. Ignore what places they say they have and don't have as the list is so out of date anyway. Keep numbers of nice sounding ones and ask if the good sounding ones with no places have any recommendations.My one came from that list but when I first spoke to her she had no places.. but we got on well and she took my number and called me back when she unexpectedly had a place 2 weeks later. Its painful but worth it.... I only sorted it out about 2 months before going back to work as hard to do it before then. FYI I found it tough to find any places at all in ED so had to look further afield - which means a drive to Nunhead every day but it's a small sacrifice given how happy we are with her.

Hi Just my opinion but seems to be the same as quite a few others... I went back to work when my daughter (3 in July) was 9 months and couldn't get her into a nursery anywhere... With hindsight I am so glad I couldn't as if I had have done I would not have discovered the truly wonderful childminder she is still with now. They are cheaper (mine has recently gone up to ?50 per day with all meals, trips etc included)- with childcare vouchers from both of us we only actually have to find ?370 a month ourselves for a 4 day week its not too expensive and our daughter has had 1 constant carer in a stable family environment who she adores for almost 2 years. She also goes out and about loads - to the Horniman, Greenwich park, loads of different play groups and even further afield in summer which is fantastic. So I would say have a look round and talk to some childminders - if your daughter will be over 12 months then far easier to find a place too. (although you can't really start looking properly until a couple of months before)

Anyone know what's going on ? It looks like a demolition order on the outside but I presume there are plans for the place.....

hi I went for a one hour consultation at Glazer Delmar in Peckham last week and was really impressed. Pricey but I think that's pretty standard.

Hi I attended the legs bums and tums class at Jags on a Monday night from 12 weeks through to 38 weeks when I was pregnant first time round and will be starting them again soon. The instructor Oriane is fantastic - really friendly and great at encouraging everyone to get to know each other . It's nothing too exhausting (although you can choose how hard you push yourself) but you really do feel as if you have had a work out at the end of it and it's great just to get moving! Oriane is also brilliant for answering any questions on antenatal fitness and full of good advice. No need to be a member - you just pay on the day so is very flexible too.

I know there has been a post on this recently with a helpful link to Southwark website but I am still confused. My daughter is (2 years 2 months) is at a childminders 5 days a week and that?s the plan until she is 3ish. I understand that children are expected to go ?somewhere else? before starting school at 4 (is it 4 or 4.5 ?) My confusion lies in where this somewhere else should be ? I understand that some of the schools in the area have nursery /preschool classes but my closest school (St Johns) does not. Do most children go to one of the nursery schools attached to these schools or the school that they would like their children to go to and if so should I have registered ages ago ? (or are there such limited places that it?s out of the question anyway ?) I have my daughter?s name down at Gumboots Nursery for when she is three but now I am wondering if that?s the wrong kind of Nursery as it?s a day nursery instead of state run nursery school which I now realise is quite different.. Or is it common to go from a day nursery straight to school ? The likes of Herne Hill, Montessori etc are problematic as I think they are mainly just very short sessions and both my Husband and I work all day which is why the 8-6 works brilliantly with the childminder we have now. Or do most working parents go with the short sessions then pay for a childminder to look after their child for the rest of the day ? Also I understand that the 3 sessions or 12 hours a week are paid for once the child turns 3. Can these be used for any sort of childcare ? So many questions ?! If anyone can shed any light I would really appreciate it. I am now concerned that I should have done something ages ago but still not quite sure as to what that something is ?! I am sure my situation must be quite common so any advice , recommendations or solutions that have worked for people would be really useful thanks