mrs.lotte

Really James? That's not what I hear from ED parents who cannot get into Harris. The children coming from out of the area are doing so as a result of banding not because of a lack of local demand. The strain on primary places began 4 years ago at a time when the local council totally failed to see that it was going to happen and failed to make provision for it, causing enourmous stress for parents that year which has never been as severe since given the pre planning of bulge classes. Those children will be leaving primary in 3 years. There is already a problem with secondary places now, that is going to get worse, i predict that there will be little or no foresight or provision for the local secondary education for those children currently in Y3. If you are able to provide some information to the contrary i would be grateful.

Hmmm, in my rapid descent into turning into my mother I really don't know how to work the wii or the DVD or Sky. However this is because a man has set the interconnecting system up to be unnecessarily complicated. Mrs TP, I reckon it's just a mum thing, I work f/t and rather more than my husband and he is v.hands on but they still want me to do everything, all the time. Ho hum, one day not too far from now we will be begging our kids for a small crumb of attention rather than enjoying the freedom to drink wine and read the paper.

I bought the Micke desk in green/white, sorry am too technically inept to post a link. Haven't assembled it yet though!

Having said that I would never buy a piece of IKEA furniture again and it was a false economy I have just bought my son a desk and chair from - IKEA. Was hoping one would turn up on the forum but the right thing but it never did and my extensive research couldn't unearth anything which wasn't extortionate (except maybe Next, similar price and quality to IKEA)

Can I also recommend through the trees (I think it's called) next to ED Warehouse. I have bought some very glamorous but reasonably priced accessories for friends Xmas Pressies, and a rather lovely necklace for myself.

That is the 3rd year in a row for Bessemer, is it to become a permenant 3 form entry?

Guinness book of records, anything deadly 60, thebookpeople has some good deals including Lego ideas books and star wars Lego sticker books.

Am well in the dog house with my son having promised a family trip to Legoland with a stay in the hotel for his birthday in December to discover it is closed til March - oops. Looking at alternatives (it will be his 8th birthday and we'd like to take his 5yo sister too). Has anyone been to the Harry Potter Tour? What did you think? Any other tips for a big birthday day out/evening away? That's forumites

No personal experience of BG but note lots of happy parents posting about the school in the family section, try relocating your post there for more feedback. It is amazing how some under performing schools are popular and some well performing schools less so but reputation And, with it, popularity can take a while to catch up with reality (whether that is a good reality or less so). For my part i think that we are very lucky to have so many good schools on our doorstep. If your instinct tells you it's the place for you it sounds like you are far from alone, go for it while you can still get a place!

Bethnal Green museum of childhood has lots of interactive stuff for children (and grown ups, my husband spent a LOT of time with the Meccano) National Army museum has a great soft play area Science museum great but packed, museum of London at Docklands quieter, great play area and cafe too. Have fun

I'll be there for the coffee and chat (i have children in Y1 and Y3). There's usually some toys and biscuits on hand for children if you want to bring them along.

Thank you for your response Inkmaiden, happy to hear that I had indeed misinterpreted your post which now makes perfect sense.

I have never heard a child at Goose Green School say "innit" although doubtless some will. I have however heard plenty,including my own, say "isn't it that". I presume it was being suggested a number of posts back that children at Goose Green can't speak properly and those at Fairlawn can, if so it barely merits a response save to say that its absurd but perhaps I misunderstood the post. I recall very well that when I was a child and moved from a northern city to a home counties village and adopted the local estuary English my mother constantly corrected me which simply made me do it more, it doesn't mean that I wasn't capable of speaking "properly". I agree that most children like many adults are capable of adapting how they speak to who they are with.

My 2 are at breakfast and after school club at Goose Green school. I pay when I use it but there are sibling/full time discounts. I pay ?2 per child breakfast club and they get a choice of hot food/cereal/toast etc and a range of activities such as model making and football, and lots of stickers (I ate all my breakfast etc etc!) it opens at 7.30am and is on the school site. The after school club is also on site which means that they can go to after school classes (ballet, drumming whatever) and then taken to after school club where they have board games, arty crafty activities, a small range of hot and cold tuck (included in price) computers (with strict time limit!) and organised physical games and Friday film club, they take the children to Grove Vale library for Chatter books and maths club. That is open til 7pm and is ?7.50 per child. I was really worried about it as they had always had a nanny but they love the range of activities and the fact that they see their friends and make new ones across the school years and that it means mum or dad always pick them up. Also the school run the after school club which means that it is joined up in terms of communication and staff.

We are GG (year 1 and 3) and very proud of our little gem. We are a vibrant and ambitious school, performing so well that we have been given the go ahead to become an academy and the (ofsted outstanding) leadership of senior teaching staff and governors will be able to manage finances and admissions. The wrap around care is particularly good, 7.30am to 7pm on site. Good range of very cheap and interesting after school activities. Really happy cohesive teaching staff, a comparitively high proportion of male staff. Lots of lovely extra things going on; parent:teacher choir, samba drumming (and we've just got a huge lottery grant for steel drums) apple trees being planted etc.They are some of the things that I like. Could do better; the website, although better than most I'd like to see more on it. I guess parents at both schools will be happy, it's such a personal decision. I'd make return visits to both and to other nearby schools Bessemebr, Bellenden and DKH all rated good by ofsted. Go with your instinct. I think that there is another open day at GG on Tuesaday.

Had afternoon tea at the Grosvenor on Park Lane with my 2 (7 and 5 years) they do a kids Tea which involves fruit salad, ice cream and cake and they get to pilfer your sandwiches which are endlessly replenished and the kids get a cuddly toy. It was lovely.

Another thank you to Pickle for bringing Hall Place to our attention, the house of fairy tales has been extended to Friday but the (free) gardens alone make the trip more than worthwhile and the cafe is v.g. Will go back. Oh and bumped into some E.D friends when we were there! The Enchanted Forest in Groombridge is on my autumn , anyone been?

Jack Stalwart (boy adventurer) Saxby Smart (schoolboy detective) All the other David Walliams books Percy Jackson, young bond, Alex Rider (my 7 year old boy loves all of these but they are rather longer than the others above)

Pam Hulme, posts on forum as Pam50, does an hour a week with my year 3 son I think she's a brilliant tutor and a lovely lady, highly recommend.

Lots of threads on the point. Depends where on CPR you live as to where you are likely to go. Most ED schools get good results and have a Good ofsted, nowhere to "avoid" and the popularity of individual schools wax and wane,different schools have different vibes so v.personal go and have a look for yourself, I expect that your old school has changed a lot and that would be an interesting trip!

Argos, cheap as chips.

Anyone know? Thanks

The school will be closed for the summer holiday now until September so your other option is to ring or email the council to ask. Make sure you ask the distance of the furtherest open space as opposed to siblings or sen or looked after children. They do put out a leaflet that purports to give this info with the 2013 reception place application booklet that seems to appear in the libraries from late autumn. However I have never trusted their stats in that booklet. Forum remains No1 choice for accurate comprehensive info! Perhaps contact Local councillor Renata Hamvas (sp?) who may have some info on likely bulges. Goodrich hasn't bulged for 4 years so may be in line for another? Honestly although you will worry I'm not sure that there is much need, it seems to be very rare indeed for someone not to get into a local school in the end and we are blessed with lots of good ones. Good luck

Nursery children need white shirt, aertex is fine, grey trousers or dress/skirt, girls can wear green gingham dresses in September if weather merits it. All you need is a logo jumper, available from school office (uniform shop on Grove Vale caters for the private schools and in my experience of trying to buy generic accessories they are very very snooty). Also a bookbag, also available from school office. Get them on first week back, no one will mind if there is a day or two without the jumper except your little one who will no doubt want to wear the same as everyone else. Shoes should be black and sensible but they are relatively relaxed in nursery. I sent mine in plimsols at first; cheap hard wearing and retro! Next term the school will have the parent pay facility which will allow us to order and pay for uniform online which will make life easier. If you are totally desperate I can loan you a jumper for the first week, we have plenty!

My daughter went to GG nursery and loved it as did I. It is a great mix of learning and fun in a well resourced setting with a fab outdoor space. She was very well prepared for big school socially and academically in a way that my elder child who had been in a private nursery had not been. The new head of nursery is an existing member of the teaching staff and will be utterly brilliant. She will be supported by experienced staff who have been at the nursery for years. I completely understand the desire to see your child progress from nursery to reception in the same school and frustrating that it is impossible to know in advance if that is achievable. All I can say is that there are quite a few happy parents in reception who cross the Rye from Nunhead in reception and upper years so you would been in catchment this year but as the popularity of the school increases that may shrink, albeit offset by increasing popularity of other Good schools. Looks like you may be more likely to get into GG than Ivydale if there is a big sibling intake in the latter. Only you can know if it is worth the risk that you may not get into the school, go with your instinct.