mrs.lotte

Thanks both!

How long is it currently taking to get to Waterloo from ED? Have been avoiding Elephant for weeks after a number of frustrating journeys but need to be at Waterloo by 745 tomorrow. Thanks

Thinking of you all GG - have a brilliant carnival (missing it for the first time this year) luckily I bought my raffle tickets in advance!

New headteacher in place, up and running, check out the school website and have a look at the latest newsletters, there is a school newsletter every fortnight with an intro from the head (and a PTA newsletter in the weeks in between)

Exactly what I was thinking Bawdy Nan! Depends what your idyll is, if you want good schools, a good life For teenagers and stuff going on but can't afford London i would move to another city (Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle??)where the burbs are a bit closer to the city centre. edited to say - don't actually know what the schools are like in those cities but surprised if there are many places with such a concentration of high performing outstanding state secondary schools as we have

Looking for a nice (comfortable, Central, hopefully waterside, not too businessy/bland) for a couple of nights in December en route to islands (oh yes, can't wait) in Bangkok Taking 10 and 8 year old so would need inter connecting rooms or suite Could spend a reasonable amount of dosh but don't want to break bank I'm finding trip advisor mind boggling ditto my guidebook which isn't really helping me on best area to stay in. Does anyone have any advice/tips? Much appreciated.

My parents moved from city to country for a better life for their children. We did not run around in fields learning the names of plants instead we spent most of our teens waiting for buses to take us somewhere slightly less boring. The countryside was all joyriding and glue sniffing then. When I think of how easy it is for youngsters to be bullied and pressured nowadays I would prefer my children live somewhere where they are not limited in their social circle. I came back to the City as soon as I could and have no plans to leave Horses for courses though Oh and generally speaking gang members are largely interested in hurting other gang members imo

Yes please to extended hours, we've used nimble arts before (and have already booked in for summer) but the pick up time has been very difficult to achieve

Bumpkin te I agree that you should sign the petition but also respond to the Harris primary consultation which you will find on Harris' website - they will publish the responses to consultation and say they will listen to people's views. If those views are that people do not want to compromise space for a secondary then they will (hopefully) abandon any notion of using the site and a clear message will be sent out to those responsible for allocating space to a secondary

See samstopit's post in the main section. Evening meeting was the same.

To be fair DB&B Simon did state that Charter want to listen to people's view on admission criteria and that he had hitherto thought that as the crow flies was overwhelmingly popular so if that's not necessarily the case then i would expect people to express their views and Charter to listen. Simon I know that you are overwhelmingly busy but I am genuinely keen to support the school which my son could well attend. How is it proposed to distinguish the schools if at all? Will it have a specialisation or even a different uniform, how is it proposed that it doesn't fall into the trap as being seen as the poor relation of Dulwich Charter? Sorry to bang on about it but the Harris consultation is today/tonight and I'm sure at least some of your 1500 supporters would like to know about it so they can express their views on the possibility of a primary school constraining the site (a primary school full of children who would likely not get into the secondary school whichever admissions criteria you use!) could you please consider emailing them?

James you know perfectly well (or should do as its blindingly obvious) that is not what I am saying. I am saying that people's signatures are being used for something they did not sign up for and, moreover, there is no need for another primary - you appear to suggest that as long as parents want it they should have it regardless of whether there are surplus places nearby. That would be a waste of public money and potentially compromise the space of a new secondary school.

Simon, thank you but it's the Harris consultation I am concerned about - not Habs!

Thank you for your prompt response Simon. Have Charter done a formal response to the Harris "consultation" and would they be willing to publish it? Lots of parents resist the idea but a steer as to how to respond from an experienced education provider would be useful for all. Also there is a consultation event at Harris Girls tomorrow at 4.30 and 7pm I presume reps from Charter will be attending, if not already done can you advertise this to your 1500 supporters and ask them to attend (perhaps with a link to the Charter response?)

Congratulations Charter. Although I supported the Habs bid I am genuinely delighted that a great secondary school will be opening locally at a time of great need. I would like some reassurance from Charter that they will resist as far as they are able to do so - sharing the site with an uneccesary primary school - are you able to state that publicly Simon - I think that a lot of parents would welcome that.

Really James? Have you actually seen their consultation - they have changed it from Nunhead to Nunhead/East Dulwich so I completely disagree that they have been clear at all, and the consultation is a sham and it's not about what parents want - this is public money if there is no need for it public money should not be spent on an unnecessary school. Another great letter from Tessa - how refreshing to have a politician that listens to the people they represent.

Tanza, I appreciate that school allocation is an emotional time but if you seek to hear from parents at a school whilst telling them that you don't want your child to go there but might have to and require comfort then surely you must see that can sound insulting? I have a boy in Y5 at a vibrant diverse local primary school where lots of children have English as a second language (which doesn't mean they can't speak English it usually means they speak another language as well as English which is more than I can) All I can say is that I have visited the school and was super impressed and the children I know that go there are happy and thriving. Whilst single sex isn't everyone's cup of tea I for one am delighted to have an outstanding secondary school on our doorstep. I hope that you feel able to get behind the school, doubtless plenty of your sons classmates will also be going.

Depford wavelengths best

Bloomers on Lordship Lane near The Patch. Sharon the owner is lovely and sensible and helpful.

Given that my children are 10 and 7 years old you would have thought I'd have worked something consistent out by now. But I havent. Can anyone reccomend a half term holiday course which will allow me to drop about 8.30 and pick up at 5.30. All the usual suspects (nimble arts, holiday drop off, jags, hamlets) seem to start later and/or finish earlier. Thanks

My daughter had a build a bear party last year. We all got the bus to Covent Garden, I limited the price to ?20 per child for which they got an hour in the shop and their going home present (ie the bear) My daughter then got a loyalty card and the points she got from the cost of the party gave her about ?20 credit. They do a money off deal with pizza express round the corner which does a very reasonable children's menu. Given the cost of a different type of party; hiring a venue/entertainment/party bags/catering it was rather cheaper and all the party goers loved their bears. Obviously there are cheaper ways to do a birthday party but it was really special and less expensive than I thought it would be.

Yes Bloomers on Lordship Lane (near The Patch) have a box for old/unwanted bras that they recycle/donate for a charitable cause (possibly sent to disadvantaged communities in Africa - I forget the precise details)

Certainly at my children's school staff monitor lunchtime and children have to finish their meals before they have pudding so there's no chance of skipping the meal and having double pudding. I understand that yoghurt and fruit are an option every day and cake is a fairly frequent although not permanent option, occasional cheese and biscuits. meals are healthy and balanced with daily salad bar and pizza/chips type option only on Fridays. Personally I am impressed with the standard and variety, I do encourage my children to take the non cake option and they claim that they do sometimes. All I remember of school meals are pur?ed veg from an ice cream type scoop - makes me gag thinking about it.

Sounds fab. How much will it cost to use the ice rink and are there any age restrictions?