Ecoprincesa

Hi ED :) Does anyone have any experience of sending their child(ren) to Alleyn's or St Dunstan's? DS has received offers from both to start Reception, but due to COVID we haven't been able to tour St Dunstan's at all... We want a nurturing and happy environment, with great opportunities for him to achieve his personal best. We also hope our younger daughter will be able to attend the same school. Rankings aren't as important as teachers actually helping each child to achieve their individual best. Hope we can get some ideas from people with real experience of these schools :) Thanks!

I've worked at both hospitals in their labour ward/postnatal/NICU areas. I've also given birth at both! I'd say Tommies has the leading edge for all the areas mentioned. Beautiful, well organised, generally better facilities. If you're looking to give birth in hospital then or if you have any complications in your pregnancy (unless they are related to the baby and require specialist input from Kings such as a neurological problem) then I'd go with Tommies. However, Kings is also a great unit. They do extra scans during pregnancy in their fancy fetal medicine unit (but honestly I didn't love the bedside manner there or the constant pressure to get involved with research). The main reason I went for Kings for my second baby was because I wanted a home birth. And their home birth team is FANTASTIC. My antenatal journey was much better because you get assigned to a team of just 3 midwives and they do all your checks in the comfort of your own home. There's no pressure to go through with a home birth, and if you change your mind or become unwell so can't deliver at home they will still try to deliver your baby themselves in the Kings midwife led unit. In my case, they had to take me to the hospital due to me running a fever, but they stayed with me as long as possible. When another patient of theirs was giving birth at home they went to her, and the hospital midwives took over. But they got such a great handover and they took great care of me. Oh and the home team were back to see us for postnatal care. Really lovely to see someone you're familiar with after giving birth! All in all positive experiences for both. I would say if you definitely want a hospital midwife led unit do Tommies, if you're open to home birth definitely Kings. Good luck!

Hi ED! Our son is currently attending a montessori nursery (Sunshine Fruits) and we really love the educational style. We are considering moving him on to a Montessori Primary school for Reception (likely Rose House Montessori in Forest Hill). Does anyone have experience of their children going to a montessori through primary? Any advice on pros/cons? Particularly on how they adjust to a mainstream secondary school afterwards? Thanks! :) Sabena x

Hi fellow EDF users, Just wanted to wholeheartedly recommend my carpenter and decorator Orlando. He has done several jobs for me over the past 3 years and is consistently reliable, impeccably clean and a pleasure to have in my home. His work is beautiful, he is a true perfectionist. Text him on 07415 319835. Happy to send photos of the work he's done for me, PM me if required. Work he's done for me: Stripping carpet in the whole flat and bring life to the old floorboards. Painting rooms Bespoke shelving and cupboards Beautiful handmade montessori floor bed frame for my baby Sabena