Mrs TP

Ice skating at Streatham or Queensway indoor rinks.

I get the impression it is 'compulsory' in private schools and organised by a class rep parent but very hit n' miss in state schools with some groups of parents embracing it and organising it and others preferring to do their own thing, whether that is something or nothing. Not all parents share the same love and appreciation of particular teachers or agree with actually giving presents and should be given space not to be involved.

I'm sick of being abused by other drivers for sticking to the 20mph. Sydenham Hill is the worst for me and I know it's where the police like to hang out with their hand held speed traps from time to time. I tootle along at 20 keeping well over to the left for those that want to over-take and whiz along at whatever law-breaking speed suits them. Two people happily over took me the other day but the third beeped like crazy at me and hand gestures to match their anger ...

Exciting times - good luck.

General advice is not to decline an unwanted allocated school as you 'drop' out of the system. Better to accept and be on waiting lists for those schools above it on your initial application. If you are opting into the private sector or moving out of the area completely or home-schooling then decline away. Otherwise seek advice from Renata or James, the local councillors who are always on the school place threads and know the system inside out.

Sicilia - sorry to hear it was you that got the punch :( Still do like the tactic of chucking your phone over the wall. As someone said above, crims don't play by the rules, so may have hit anyway - buggers. Hope you ok.

Oh big brave men - no sorry a***holes. Hope you did give them a good thump and you not too shaken up.

All on here seem to have pre-schoolers and so I am assuming are going in term time and not schools hols. However, if anyone is going in the school hols and wants to eat out in the evening then you need to pre-book your restaurants esp early evening slots when all the families are out and about. It's very rare to get a walk in slot at one of the restaurants in school hols. We've been to Longleat a good few times and I find the on-site grocery shop quite reasonable and comparable with local London shops but I do try to take as many basics as I can tea, coffee, ketchup, salt, pepper, herbs, pasta, cereal etc and also my own sharp knife, corkscrew and matches (for bbq or indoor gas oven) and dishwasher tabs, washing up liquid - how prepared we are is varied depending on what else going on as we are getting ready to go but really you can buy just about anything you may need at the onsite shop.

Your horizons widen as your children get older and hopefully you will get more comfortable with the idea of them getting the bus somewhere to school. We are all nervous when they first do it but providing you've practised and they are sensible kids then it's a different hurdle that is soon overcome. They don't go from being in reception / year 1 to jumping on a bus to secondary, there are various things along the way that help you as a parent settle into them being out and about on their own - going to the local shop / park unaccompanied / going to ED baths / Peck Cinema - these are all stressful hurdles as they come but ease you along the way to the more independence of getting to and from secondary school. For those of us on the boundary of the ever shrinking Charter catchment area, it is not the be all and end all of state schooling in the SE London area. Loads of us have been through it and surviving other fab state secondaries :)

Lovely post 753. As I said above, I have girls. When my oldest got into her secondary (Syd School) another mum exclaimed in horror to me 'what are you going to do?' - 'send her' I replied. I know what it's like to have little support and active opposition to your preferred school. Each to their own but I will happily chat to anyone who is genuinely interested in finding out my experiences as a current parent. An extra stress is the idea that you have to choose the right school for your child and really very few actually get that real choice and end up meeting the system less than half-way. I'm happy to cut anyone the slack going through this super stressful time.

Southwark children applying to Lewisham schools are also banded on their year 5 assessments. The Lewisham secondary contacts the Southwark primary for their yr 5 stats / reports.

What have your family said about this?

I have daughters and so have no direct experience of the school but have heard only good things from parents there. However, I have a friend whose son has been allocated this school as their 6th choice and they are not happy. They visited the school 3 times last year and never fell in love with it. They kept going back to try and find what others were seeing and they were missing. Their overall impression of the school was that it is run like an impersonal bootcamp with a lack of nurture towards the individual and they were also dismayed by the lack of creative / artwork on display. How would parents there defend against these assumptions and what can I say to reassure her?

Can I ask all those who definitely do not want their allocated school - I mean those moving before Sept or have other arrangements such as private school - to decline their state school offer asap. I have heard of 3 families already who are desperately unhappy with their offers and are relying on movement up the chain so they get a better offer. Thanks.

Surely they are part of the package of your salaried position. Interesting situation you are in though probably wanting to go back to freelance position before the salaried position - legal minefield. Good luck!

If she is up for it send her on her own. I am an only child with no cousins and was always happy to get stuck in. I think my parents suggested a friend for me as we also travelled on our own. You'll be dropping her off so all ok.

I'm now 40+ but went with a friend when we were 15 for a week in Wales, it was fantastic. Two of my daughters have been with school when in yr 6. First not too fussed (not known for her love of the outdoors but is shortly braving a Duke of Edin type expedition) but second got stuck right and loved it. PGL is a hugely reputable firm and they v experienced. If your child up for it then go for it. Have you thought of asking any of her school friends / cousins etc to go with her?

Oh dear I was certainly not aware of staff morale plummeting. In any walk of life a new person at the top inevitably leads to movement below - you see it anyway and everywhere for a whole variety of reasons. Frequent movement is also a feature of city secondary schools. But at Sydenham there has also been a hugely stable teaching element. I just find it hard to believe she is not staying to see the works finished or to see at least her first intake cohort through their GCSEs.

Sydenham School the state girls' school, poss previously called Syd Girls.

Wow thanks for the web test recommendation (I'd found a few but was nervous of downloading a bug) anyway did [www.speedtest.net] and result was 12.12 download and less than 2.00 upload :(

Gosh it is 8 yrs since I used a childminder but I always had to provide the food. My elder two were the tupperware princesses but yes communication is the key. This person is going to be looking after your child, and I imagine for a decent rate, ask them about their weekly menus.

Does anyone know why the head is leaving? This came as a bit of a bolt out of the blue and in her letter to parents she refers to 'stepping aside for a younger person', which seems such an odd thing to say especially as she is 10+ yrs off retirement. No mention of a better offer or lifestyle change, which leads me to wonder has she been pushed?

How do you check / monitor the speed?

Not fool proof and not one of Gina Ford or anyone else's tips but tell her she will have to go and stay in hospital (add to that, i.e. without mummy or daddy - you know your child and what you can say) if she doesn't take it. Also buy her a huge bag of her favourite sweets and let her hold one in her hand to shove in her mouth as soon as she has taken a spoonful. Good luck, it is hell!

I don't know the speed of ours but has been rubbish since Christmas. WiFi was dreadful over Christmas and intermittent since. Used to be able to watch live tv on the comp and can rarely do that now. Bizarrely been fab this afternoon. Bellenden side of GooseGreen. No doubt they won't be reducing their costs in the meantime.