toast

Hello Anyone living on the Southwark/ Lewisham borders who did not get a place at any Lewisham Schools do PM me if your concerned. With Thanks Toast

Hello All Anyone worried about southwarks primary school admissions this year could join..... http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=ts&gid=120669739604 Tessa Jowell, James Barber etc have all posted updates here and it might be useful to have a place to unite. Also anyone really naffed off about the timing of allocations might want to write to/ email their local MP's, it does get things moving!

Watching sound of music, would go for 7 but need house keeper, governess, big house and lots of curtains!

Hello Don't want to up peoples anxiety and get this whole thing going again but had some feedback from lots of important people from both Labour and Lib Dems. The statistics and plans suggest that this year should be much much better than last year. Just wanted to share feedback as i know it effects lots of us. I'll bump this a couple of times but please dont comment. Thanks Toast

TJMP quoted Nick Stanton's work by posting his letter on this forum, my thought was thank goodness people are working together.

I tend to look at the value added score, will my child come out stronger or weaker due to the culture of the school, was not able to list by value added score, would be handy. Funny how the value added difference is so small.

Re Policy The most fabulous Fiona Colley says "The scrutiny report has now been presented to the executive and they agreed to ask the Admissions Forum". The Scrutiny did highlight the problem of policy and recomended looking at the Lewisham clause to help out those out in the sticks. Not sure how much Influence they can have if the council dig their heals in so as not to lose face! Also might not be in time for our lot! Fingers crossed!

nunheadmum Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think it's worth remembering too that the > schools have lots of time to prepare for Ofsted > visits - so do they really reflect the day-to-day > reality when an inspector isn't on your back. My > childminder has an outstanding Ofsted report but I > saw the added preparations that she made - and how > they've faded away since the visit and some less > perfect practices have taken over! > Schools have only 2 days to prepare. Totally agree that looking round schools is key. I have been amased at the very different unique personalities of eash of the local schools, and the 'best', were not always the best for my child.

JBARBER Wrote: > > Today Nick said, ?I am delighted that we have been > awarded this substantial amount of money to > provide more primary school places in Southwark - > particularly in the south of the Borough where the > shortage has been most acute. I am particularly > pleased the government has recognised Southwark's > very strong case and our record of delivering new > and improved schools over the last seven years. > > ?We will be using the money to expand ? either > permanently or temporarily ? the most popular > schools, once we know where parents are applying > to send their kids next year. That way more > parents will get a place at a local school they > really want. We?re working with all the schools > in the south of the borough to get their agreement > to this more flexible approach and so far the > indications are very positive. And my thanks go > to them ? and the three schools who took on extra > classes this year. > Nick is saying nothing about the crass nature of the admissions policy which leaves people either their nearest school or the ones no one else wants far away. Learn a lesson from Lewisham (and goodness knows how many other boroughs) or you will have a lot of the same problems this year! There is extra money, schools welcoming the extra funding, everyone is doing their bit but poor policy had a large role to play in the upset last year and needs fixing!

Moving the allocation of places to before the election would be a show of confidence.

I know i have been kicking up a stink about this but i'm no politician, just a parent who found herself surrounded by very upset neighbours over the summer. The leaflet thing refers to a previous comment where i said i would leaflet for anyone who comes up with real action rather than spin, not a real statement of party politics. The scrutiny raised questions around a new school and it may well not solve the problems predicted over the next few years. There is going to be a lot of political point scoring over all this and we need to keep out of it and focus on the key issues of extra places (one way or another) and to ensure a proper boost if any schools are expanded or bulged. So far TJMP has really come through for ED, we should still push to ensure that promises of cash are real (could not be changed post election) and imediate.

I would send my boy to Bellended in a heartbeat!- Might be a good time to apply :))

News Flash Dear Following our campaign and hard efforts over the Summer and following two meetings I have had with the Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker, I am pleased to be able to report that Southwark has been allocated an extra ?12 million by the government towards the capital funding needed for new school places in the East Dulwich area. This is great news and should prevent the sort of chaos we saw in the East Dulwich area earlier in the year over the allocation of primary school places. Lambeth has also received a generous allocation of ?9 million following further campaigning by myself and parents. Following the mess Southwark got itself into over the summer I wrote to the Department of Children, Schools and Families making the case for further funding for Southwark. I will continue to monitor Southwark's performance in the manner in which it treats parents during what was for many, last summer, such a stressful time and made worse by the council's apparent indifference in response. Southwark must up its game in the way that it advises, informs and support parents. I will also be keen to ensure that the money is put to good use so that we see a real improvement in the number of primary school places available. Whilst I know some parents will understandably remain dissatisfied with Southwark's poor performance last summer I hope they will be able to take heart from this achievement and what it will mean for parents next year and beyond. With best wishes Tessa Jowell MP Thanks Tessa, MP me and I will be leafletting Labour in May! Just in case, hope its election proof money!

There is a post in the main section of EDF that may give you some hope, If Labour get in!

Got this Today!! Dear Following our campaign and hard efforts over the Summer and following two meetings I have had with the Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker, I am pleased to be able to report that Southwark has been allocated an extra ?12 million by the government towards the capital funding needed for new school places in the East Dulwich area. This is great news and should prevent the sort of chaos we saw in the East Dulwich area earlier in the year over the allocation of primary school places. Lambeth has also received a generous allocation of ?9 million following further campaigning by myself and parents. Following the mess Southwark got itself into over the summer I wrote to the Department of Children, Schools and Families making the case for further funding for Southwark. I will continue to monitor Southwark's performance in the manner in which it treats parents during what was for many, last summer, such a stressful time and made worse by the council's apparent indifference in response. Southwark must up its game in the way that it advises, informs and support parents. I will also be keen to ensure that the money is put to good use so that we see a real improvement in the number of primary school places available. Whilst I know some parents will understandably remain dissatisfied with Southwark's poor performance last summer I hope they will be able to take heart from this achievement and what it will mean for parents next year and beyond. With best wishes Tessa Jowell MP Oh my days!

Hi Tall Girl I had assumed that as it was religious it was a no go? If you have any info about the likelyhood of getting in for non religious types, would love to know!

Last year was 0.31 miles for Heber and 0.5 miles for Goodrich (including bulge). Tyrrell is on the edge but these distances were for the first day of term, lots of places came in the first few weeks of term as some students didnt turn up! So who knows. Seems like the council are really onto it now so you would get in somewhere within walking distance, you just might not know where to send them for nursery and the place might just be a bit last min. Oh and it might be a wee bit stressful! Good luck

You probably know this but it was new to me a few years back. A proper dermatologist explained it to me, and it all made sense. Our skin is a barrier, obviously, but when its breached our whole resistance goes down and eczema can grow like a fire spreading. The creams are like fire extinguishers, normally you only need moisturisers but sometimes bigger hoses are needed, e.g. hydroquaterzone, betnovate etc (excuse spelling!). Since i got this idea i use dermol in my sons bath to keep him nice and soft, and dermol moisturiser after the bath, (the other bath stuff made him itchy), and do use a little light hydroquaterzone as soon as he has a flair up. Since we have done this he hardly ever needs the hydroquatrzone, we never get to the point of needing the big hoses. Hope this helps.

Friends are there and love it. Seems like a lively social life too.

I agree. My first HV saw us once and said she probably would not see us again as they had some mums with massive problems. Took it as a complement. Did get a lot of mixed messages/ advice though, guess there is more than one way to raise a baby.

I can understand getting sceptical about scientific research (which is not perfect!), but trusting other methods which have not faced the same testing is also a risk. Good luck, having the same worries about jabs, will prob get them done though!

Your welcome to start a thread on this topic, with over 222 posts this one may be losing its focus.

Totally agree, my experience of GG is really positive, my son loves the nursery, not seen round the school but reception is also great. Living a mile away from GG we may well not get in! Don't forget that this thread was initially about the basic shortage of 'local' school places, not the quality of schools. We have somehow been offered a nursery palace at one of the nearer 'popular' schools, this would solve travel problem for my mum but would be too disruptive as we are very unlikely to get into that school. However there is a real chance that my son might not even get to stay in a school two bus rides away in special measures. Im sure it will all sort itself out eventually, just a bit frustrating as have no idea how to minimise disruption, the situation is really silly.

My initial concern was that the council was not taking this thing seriously and calling it a blip. Thanks to the scrutiny meeting that is no longer the case, the council have redone their sums and made plans. ED has plenty of good schools, our old weakest link GG will be unrecognisable in a few years due to changes in leadership, staffing, intake! not to mention the extra funding and parents who are championing the school. The strengths of several other schools are now being recognised. This in itself could resolve things (some of GG's intake came from as far as Honor oak!). Offers are such a long time away maybe its time to come off red alert panic and go back to everyday worry.

Didnt mean to diss the Jowell, just more interested in action than talk, and i do recognise that she took action! She and Fiona Colley rock.