cloudnine

Hi there Am really curious why you think Lyndhurst might suffer due to "its popularity in the future". How / why do you think it might go down hill? Intrigued - not to be critical of your thoughts - but purely because we too are applying, live locally and Lyndhurst is a likely bet (re: distance). Have not thought about Bessemer - and now you have me scratching my head.... x

When I first read this thread I thought it might be a request from Southwark Council. But having read it through again I didn't think somehow the council would use such legally challenging terminology as 'stealing'. Like other parents facing the worrying and completely nerve-jangling prospect of securing a school place, I too abhor people who use underhand tactics to gain places for their children. Personally, however, I think it is the full responsibility of Southwark Council to 'vet' who is / isn't playing the system fairly (from the outset of an application), rather than the role of an anonymous vigilante calling for action on the EDF. It's probably just me, but I do find the incognito / cloak and dagger nature of this thread (setting up the handle 'edadmissions' - no history) just a little sinister. Honestly, has our desperation to getting our children into local schools really stooped to such a low level as this thread? If so, how very sad it has all come to this.

This thread is becoming increasingly hysterical (on more than one level). The VAST MAJORITY of dogs we see in our parks are well looked after, have sensible owners, are not 'trophy' dogs, and are completely harmless. The chance of being attacked - even by the remaining minority - is pretty minimal. To be scared of every dog that we come across in the park is irrational. To then pass on this irrationality to children is quite sad; personally I find it a shame for children not be encouraged to like and understand animals. To be scared of animals is to miss out on so much. I walk in Peckham Rye, Dulwich and other parks most days with my small children - and feel completely safe. If anything I feel more wary about the cyclists zipping around the park - but I certainly wouldn't go around thumping a drum that we should have separate areas for those on two wheels to protect me and my kids. The park is for everyone - dog or non-owners. Yes - there are irresponsible dog owners - but be reassured that they are a tiny minority. Live and let live for goodness sake - and perhaps we can all enjoy a walk in the park.

silverfox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Wikipedia has stated this conjunctively. Thus > Peckham Rye Park is not in East Dulwich. It is a > separate but contiguous area which shares the same > postcode. Shame Neville Chamberlain isn't about anymore. We could have flown him in to draw up a treaty of appeasement. Plenty of landing space too.

toast Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > The one off buldge classes would only be > places in successful schools, would be for one > year only and would be well funded. > This would only add 30 students to a population of > arround 360, and would not grow from there. > It has been widely reported here on the forum - and elsewhere - that the Lyndhurst, for example, is actually making it a permanent, ongoing fixture. And LibDem Laurie Eggleston has stated further up this thread that it is not going to be a one-off, and it will be repeated. Of course the council will have to continue the 'bulge' class scheme. Where else are the children in 2011, 2012, 2013 - and siblings of those who started in 2010 - going to be placed? Just how can Southwark accommodate what is effectively a population explosion in one area of the borough, and where we all expect a place at the school down the road? In the interim bulge classes are their only response. We all have to be realistic - campaign for a new school of course yes. I'm right behind you all the way. But anyone who has experience in planning, consultation etc etc can tell you that's going to be at least 2-3 years in the future, minimum. Toast - being sent to a school miles away could be a possibility for me - and anyone else applying for 2010, and yes, I too will have deep concerns about it. But my issue raised on this thread is about the alternative - which in my mind is equally as worrying. If my child is placed in an overly subscribed school with one of these emergency 'bulge classes' (temporary or permanent) I would naturally have concerns whether his / her education and enjoyment of school is being compromised when crammed into an increasingly resource and space stretched inner city school. To repeat my earlier post - I think we need to all ensure that the schools in question can actually cope with the emergency expansion. And that standards are not affected. I think it's a valid and fair issue to raise.

> > hence why the council initially offered schools 2 > miles away... Yes, I am aware of this. My point is a lot of parents are lobbying for extra classes to be added (while we wait for schools to be built) - possibly without realising what effect it has on the already stretched infrastructure of our schools. While I understand there are no overnight solutions apart from 'bulge classes' - I think it relevant to raise a concern that we need to be careful to monitor the management of our schools as they expand in this way, so that standards are maintained.

Fuschia Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The issues really are around things like size of > playgrounds, lunch hall, PE space, trying to > accomdate expansion. > > You've emphasised my concern. What we're looking at here is squeezing more and more into existing, old Victorian schools that occupy what are effectively finite, inner city spaces. Surely all this 'cramming in' is detrimental to the children?

I've been following this thread with interest - and feel like I have to say something about an issue which no-one seems to be raising. It's understandable pushing for extra classes to be taken on to accommodate more children at schools in the area - but what I find worrying is that no-one is questioning just how these 'bulge classes' might adversely affect standards. We're all so desperate to get our kids into schools on our doorstep that we're not stopping to think about the long-term implications. Can Goodrich, Lyndhurst and the other schools taking on bulge classes really cope? It's all very well employing extra teaching staff, and allocating a bit more funding, but what about the stretch on other resources within the school - from buildings and teaching equipment, to having enough basic items such as books to go around? New schools being built are obviously years away. Therefore while lobbying the council for extra places in the interim, we must ensure that quality is not in anyway diluted in this quick-fix panic to pacify. I'm sure that I will be shot down for this thread. But it is an issue that concerns me greatly.

sarahdarcy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- PS When doing property web searches don't > get caught out by only searching for SE22, some of > the prettiest streets in the block I have > described are se15. PS, the most fantastic > nursery is also in this neck of the woods - The > Villa's - so if nursery is your current priority > then you won't be disappointed by the area. ... I'd also add SE5 to that list. Streets near Camberwell Grove are lovely, within walking distance of SE22, near DKH school, and of course the fab Villa nursery (which also gets our vote!).

Beware too of the famous South East London 'pavement oysters'.... nothing like stepping in the contents of someone's throat clearance.

Unfortunately my car was hit this evening as I was driving along Crystal Palace Road, by a car that drove through the junction of North Cross Road. It was right outside the pub on that corner at about 5.30pm. None of the guys sat outside the pub at the time would act as a witness (even though they watched it happen). If by any remote chance anyone else saw the Mondeo hit my white Fiat 500 (me female, two small kids in the back), and would kindly act as a witness to support the insurance claim, then please do PM me. Would be most grateful!

We live very nearby. Grove Park is LOVELY - and there are families there with school age children and younger. Also it is certainly not difficult, or time-consuming to get to Dulwich College area by car (I do it everyday - not to Ducks, but to childcare nearby).

Hi Zaardvark We're in the same position as you - and we're feeling a mixture of disappointment and concern right now. Is it really enough to talk to parents at the school? Without being in the classroom themselves how can parents know exactly what's going on? Surely that's the whole point of OFSTED. We want our daughter to enjoy school (of course) but there's more to school than just picking up a happy child at 3.30pm. We want her to get a decent (hopefully better than 'satisfactory') education. As for reading between the lines of the report, that's pretty tricky when you read "not enough teaching is of a good enough quality to allow pupils to make any more than satisfactory progress in their learning". Our concern is how long it will take for the school to dig itself out of these problems. Come on DKH - you were once 'Outstanding', what's happened?