GinaG3

Has anyone called Lewisham today to find out where they are on waiting lists? Also, has anyone offered Langbourne rejected their offer? Edited: I was informed Lewisham wait lists were due to be released today, now they are saying not until after the bank holiday. This is all so frustrating. Emailing southwark to keep the advice I was given yesterday is correct, and update on my wait positions. Should I be appealing to every school in my preference? Appeals deadline is 17 May?

My mother homeschools my brother and I've been out of mainstream education since I was 14. It is something I wouldn't like to do for the whole of primary years, but is something will mean I have family members a phone call away that can advise me easily on the 'ways'. This is a really tough decision. I am completely, 110% against the school I have been selected and have found the process completely unfair and illogical. I should be on 7 waiting lists now, but know I'm hoovering around 40-70 on all southwark lists, still waiting on Lewisham wait list release on Thursday. Heres to hope, and luck! Can I just ring the school reception directly to ask about probabilities?

Private renting here too! I never went with an agency, they wanted a ridiculous amount of money when we were property hunting nearing 5 years ago. We've been our property just over 4 years now, our landlord is not the best, things don't get finished after works are done and we have rather a lot of minor issues but we live with that. We are a young couple with a child and were desperate for a place of our own after sharing with parents. The longer we've lived here the more we've got to know our rights and who is on our side, how to complain, how to get things sorted so its working out well now. I'd always go for a private landlord over an agency due to ease of contact and no hidden fees etc.

Well now I don't know if I'm more confused or not! Admissions say I can reject the place, my daughter will remain on waiting lists for all preferences. When questioned about the obligation to find another place after rejecting a offer the lady said she will definitely remain on school lists that were originally on the 6 preferences. She has passed me to homeschooling to chat to them about everything to see if it helps me clear my mind and rest a little. I need to let southwark know by email if I'm rejecting my place by Thursday. I explained to her I don't want to homeschool long term just as a short term arrangement until a place is found within a better distance to our home, or on a direct bus route. She completely understood and was sympathetic with the situation. Getting 8 buses a day - to school for drop off, back again then to school for pick up and back again is ridiculous. In the winter if it snowed (but school was open) I'd barely be able to get my child in to school. Let alone the cost to me, and the travel times to and from school. So now what would happen if I never got a place from my positions on the waiting lists and was homeschooling on the basis that it was short term? Will southwark just leave me high and dry and tell me to get on with it?

Pre-school are supportive and advised me today that my daughter is able to do an extra term there if needs be but there will be no place for her past the January term. I didn't know this, so feel a little more relief now but still really frustrated at the situation. Calling Southwark now - eek!

No, no advise. Intended to get to Cator Street for meeting last week but couldn't make it at any time. Pre-school are advising me my daughter can stay on there until January but no longer. Who is best to talk to about it all?

Posting my question again from page 6 in the hope anyone can offer me an answer. If I reject my offer and start homeschooling my daughter until a place is found is this a viable option and are southwark still obligated to find a place if I'm homeschooling? I'm a stay at home mum so I'm able to do this as an option. If a place is never found, what am I to do then, if I didn't intend to homeschool for the whole of primary years? If I leave the offer open with Langbourne, it will be as though I've accepted. I understand that I will remain on my top 6 waiting lists and see if a place gets offered. Come September when she will be due to start Langbourne but doesn't turn up what will happen? I have every intention of homeschooling as my ONLY option until another place is offered, I don't want to send her to a inaccessible and frankly unfeasible school that she will either a) have to remain in, as there as no other places or b) move from within the first year due to another place being offered. I understand the deadline to reject an offer is this Thursday?! Any help hugely appreciated.

Just a thought here to reassure you, possibly.. I suffer from white spots on my body and face (mainly around my eyes) I always have done since I was a child. Im 23 now, they are still there. I don't drink much milk, only in coffee in the morning and the odd glass every once in a blue moon. I don't eat cheese or any other dairy products because I don't particularly fancy them, not that I'm allergic. These spots run in my family somewhat and my nan has always been certain they are connected to Zinc or Vitamin A. For a while they went, but I'm unsure why. Since I've had my daughter in 2009 I've been through a lot of tests due to health concerns (completely unrelated to this subject) but numerous blood tests at hospital brought back severe vitamin D deficiency to the point I was put urgently on extremely high doses to boost supplies and told to continue with low dose supplements forever. I have my levels checked regularly, they have never slipped since I'm no longer prescribed supplements to take daily. Doing this didn't affect my spots, so they weren't caused by that deficiency. My calcium levels were normal considering my low levels of consumption, and all other essential vitamin and mineral levels were normal. Only vitamin D was concerning. I did worry about my daughter after all this, as I had breastfed her for 2 years prior and felt if I didn't have the nutrition how could I of given it to her through my milk?! Doctor wouldn't do blood tests on her as she felt she was too young but recommended continuing with a good multivitamin which I have always done religiously anyway. There are plenty of products on the market for children but for calcium I think its best to try and stick with natural sources, almonds are high in calcium and one of the best natural sources.

Yup, thats me there in the College ward. We've got the most, very interesting. There is a big estate here though with a lot of children, where do they all go to school? I know a lot of them walk so the schools are local. I have a question if anyone can answer it. I don't want to take up my offer but still want to remain on waiting lists. If I reject my offer and start homeschooling my daughter until a place is found is this a viable option and are southwark still obligated to find a place if I'm homeschooling? I'm a stay at home mum so I'm able to do this as an option. If a place is never found, what am I to do then, if I didn't intend to homeschool for the whole of primary years?

Abney, I feel EXACTLY the same as you. I am just completely unwilling to take Langbourne for a few reasons. Including financial and health reasons. I would far rather homeschool until a position comes up close to me that would be easier for me, but at the same time don't want to be left in a situation where I don't ever get a place or have to accept that place and start her there. Its just not do-able for me. I intend to drop in to Cator Street if me and my partner can work out a time to fit it in this week. I feel quite confident in my ability to pursue all this to the end but at the same time I'm a young parent and have no experience doing this and have no friends with children (either going through or have been through the same thing) to get advice from so I'm a bit out of my depth besides the forum - for which I completely appreciate all the advice!

My daughter is now 4. From day 1 I fed her to sleep, I absolutely loved breastfeeding and so did she. I was constantly told by health visitors not to feed her to sleep as I was 'making a rod for my own back' I didn't care to listen it worked for us and made us both happy. She breastfed until her second birthday spot on, and breastfed to sleep right up until this point also. I got extremely worried I wouldn't be able to settle her without her being at the breast. Honestly, do not worry about it! This wont be the same for everyone of course but my daughter has always been close to me, always wanted to go to sleep with me (out on the sofa..) BUT she will settle with other people and will settle without me. From birth we also incorporated rhythm at bedtime - a very specific rocking motion, and also songs, 2 songs in fact that I made up to the same rhythm of the motion not hard at all same phrase over and over. Still now aged 4 I sing these every night and occasionally rock her with the said rhythm too. I haven't forced any routine with her as I have never wanted to although I have tried to get her to settle in her own bed by herself at night but not very hard, if she gets upset being on her own I go straight to her and always have. I do intend to get her into some routine over the course of the next few months as she is ready and does now understand all aspects of bedtime, she will also be starting primary school so feel it really needs done but I will be finding a gentle way to approach it that she is comfortable with. Honestly, try not to worry. All babies do eventually get there, some times it isn't so easy but sometimes it is easier than you think it will be. Enjoy what you have now and try not to worry about the future. Try to incorporate other connections at bedtime like rhythm, songs, a blanket or toy so that there is something else they are used and associate with sleeping/falling asleep.

Just had all my letters from Lewisham this morning. I'm feeling just completely frustrated at this. Its like from my house there is no school with a big enough catchment to get in to. What the hell are you supposed to do? Fairlawn: Applications 467 Places available 60 Offered to children with a sibling 35 Distance of last child offered 344.58 We were measured at 1139.11 Eliot Bank: Applications 392 Places available 60 Offered to children with sibling 35 Distance of last child offered 428.05 We were measured at 994.07 Horniman: Applications 294 Places available 30 Offered to children with sibling 20 Distance of last child offered 290.17 We were measured at 755.01 Its like there is black holes in London where there just isn't a closest school to you. Southwark offered Langbourne to us as what they are showing on my offer letter as the 21st preference!!

Were 0.436 miles which according to google equates to 786 metres from Horniman. I know last year the furthest place given was 369 metres. Just going to have to see what happens I think. Such a lottery.

Should I just be logging on to Southwark now and rejecting my offer? If I forget come the deadline, they will automatically assume I want the place, right? So reject it now and hold out hope for a place somewhere else? I'm ever so confused with this one. Just know, I DO NOT want this place.

Just had this in an email from Southwark, and they have also added me to Bessemer waiting list. Feeling a tad more confident. 'We have just had written confirmation from our colleagues in Lewisham Admissions that Southwark residents need to inform me if they want to go on Lewisham waiting lists, my team will then send this over to Lewisham and they will action. I have also been informed by Lewisham that waiting list positions will not be provided to parents until 2 May.' I've just been emailing southwark admissions address and talking to Anita. Advise you to contact her if your in the same position as me, just to make sure everything works out as best as possible.

Did anyone else offered Langbourne where they didn't apply just get a call about an open day?

I will look in to Bessemer, I'm not quite sure how though. How do you apply to go on wait lists this late? Its on direct P4 route so not too bad if push comes to shove and still closer to me than Langbourne! Renata and James both already suggested Ivydale and Bessemer earlier on, my daughters best friend got in to Bessemer as their 1st preference. Would be nice if only it wasn't for distance.

I'm wondering this too and did just ask in the long thread running on school places but might not be seen. We're waiting at 41, 51 and 64 in Southwark. I'm not feeling at all positive with my positions, yours looks pretty good though!

Thats what I'm worried about too Lizzie, my top preferences are all cross border into Lewisham. My southwark choices don't even look too great either. Gets a bit confusing when your trying to apply within multiple authorities, I don't want to miss being on the waiting list for Lewisham schools 2 of them are preferable but at the same time everyone has different things being said to them. I haven't even contacted Lewisham yet, my brain is a bit too muddled!

Blimey Southwark are quick on email. Goodrich 41st Heber 64th Dulwich Village 51st So now what do I do to get on Lewisham waiting lists? I know they aren't releasing waiting positions yet. My above chances are slim, right? Has anyone ever been around the 50's on the list and still got a place? Seems to high to me. Horniman is my closest school, so need to contact Lewisham, followed by Goodrich which is a further 160 metres from memory..

Greek Mum, your choices are EXACTLY the same as mine!! I got offered Langbourne too. I'm on Lordship Lane estate, Dulwich Common side. I'm just about to email, I telephoned yesterday but call back is a few days want a quicker answer. Expect I'll be same position on waiting lists as you. Got our refusal letter from DVIS this morning, wasn't expecting to get in anyway.

Your 47th for Goodrich were probably 46th. I highly doubt I will get Horniman, only taking 30 kids this year I heard and catchment is sooo small. I put Eliot Bank as my 4th choice (?) but do not want that either really. Just want to know where I am on lists for top 3, should be able to view that information online I think, shame you cant. Especially people who have been offered places outside of their chosen 6. Will definitely reject place at Langbourne before the 2nd May, saw that when I checked admissions for number earlier. Must put a memo somewhere, don't want to accidentally accept it!!!!

Abney, is this school your 1st preference? 3 of my top 6 are Lewisham, my top 2 are both Lewisham. Wonder if 1st preference automatically go on waiting list no matter if its your borough or not..

How are people getting waiting list places so quickly please, emailing? I called Southwark, I've been advised I will be called in a few days times..

Lizzie, I haven't rejected my offer for Langbourne but I also DO NOT intend to take my place there. I will reject, just trying to see my whole hand of cards before I do so. I'm a stay at home mum so in the eventuality my daughter doesn't get a place, even come September I will try my best to to educate her myself until we can get a space somewhere at least within walking distance to us. Luckily everyone in my family and in laws too are fully accepting of what I choose. My mum home schooled us from primary age for my brother and from secondary for me and my sister so is definitely supportive in that aspect. My in laws are strongly for education in a school environment but my mother in law had problems getting her children into the same schools so deferred entry for one until a place became available for them to attend the same schools but is also supportive of my choice regarding distance being excessive. I want to see where I would sit on the wait list at Horniman, this is within Lewisham borders, I am just on the verge of southwark but its my closest school. Do I need to contact lewisham then as I wont automatically be on the waiting list cross borough? This is all very confusing! Where I come from you apply for 1 school and you get in.. Ho hum!