Emski

I would have liked a Bednest if we hadn't already had a Moses basket and I hadn't been too mean to buy something 'unnecessary'! I think with no2 getting as much sleep as poss is foremost, so we ended up co sleeping w no2 rather than go through the palaver of trying to get her into the basket without waking her after every night feed. I did feel a bit anxious about it when she was tiny tho, so tried to get her into the basket after a few months. Didn't find that it had made her more clingy or unwilling to sleep alone after a fairly short time. Good luck!

We used all the ones that Monkey mentions. Drop me a line if you'd like to borrow! X

Indeed, Buggie! Been a couple of years since we went through this, and am still moved to fury thinking about it!

I've also been looking for a scooter for my soon-to-be 6 yr old. We have had several 2-wheeled metal scooters (including the Razor) but without fail the bolts work themselves loose and fall off. I'd really like to find one with a more hard wearing design. It looks like the Micros have this design too, from what I can see. My daughter has been using a 2 wheeler from when she turned 4, Lula, so if your child's reasonably confident on his, the move to 2 should be fine.

I don't think non-school nurseries offer term-time only, and your child would have to be 3 to go to a school nursery. My husband is a teacher and we've managed to find 2 childminders who are happy to do term-time only (they've both had their own school-age children). First one we found by phoning round the list provided by Southwark Council, second by advertising on ED forum (family classifieds section).

I used the Mothercare own brand one with our Bee (with newborn baby and buggy rear facing). Was fine. The instructions a bit complicated but got there in the end!

Sling library is great! I also found soft, unstructured carriers the easiest and most comfy. Didn't really like the Bjorn-style ones I tried. Actually getting the baby into the carrier is the hardest bit I think - and you can't really imagine what it's like without actually having a delicate, floppy but wriggly newborn! With the unstructured carriers you just lift the fabric between their legs and clip it up. There's no need to attempt to lower an infant down into two small leg holes and manage a raft of different fasteners. I tried a Beco Gemini at the sling library and loved it, but it was a bit pricy. They recommended a Rose & Rebellion carrier as a cheaper option, and it saved my sanity! We had builders working on the house when my baby was tiny, but I could still get her off to sleep in the carrier even with all the noise - and it was comfy enough to wear for long periods. I've just put it up for sale on the Family Room Classifieds if you're interested! http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?25,1350840 Good luck with the baby and your choice x

Does anyone know The Bill Family, currently advertising for a nanny share? We may be just what they're looking for?! Please PM me. Many thanks!

Amused by the title of the thread - my daughter is in Reception at Goodrich and I've never met the Head either. She seems to know him, however: "He has a grey jacket and lives in an office (!) and if you're naughty you have to go and see him." I was not v impressed when we had a problem with the school and he refused to call me in person. In fairness it was an issue that he solved to our satisfaction, but I believe most other Heads would have offered a personal apology. I also definitely think Heads should be present at Open Days. However, in his favour, our daughter loves the school, and we're v impressed with her progress. My understanding is that he's turned things around but his methods aren't universally popular. He seems a 'no nonsense' type taken to extremes. On the other topic, schools should have a good idea of what they'll be graded by Ofsted. Much of it is done by stats (how much 'value added' to children), so Ofsted will prob have a fair idea what grade they'll award before they even enter the school! Obvs this isn't a guarantee, and factors like behaviour management can impact. From the stats Goodrich have released to parents they should have a very good chance of Outstanding.

Thank you! Buggy was 2nd hand so no receipt, but a tenner's not too bad! Thanks so much for your help.

Hello, has anyone had the same problem with their Bugaboo (ours is an old Bee) and can help with some repair advice? The extension mechanism on the handle (well, the lock I guess) has broken, meaning it won't stay in place and the handle moves in and out depending on whether you're pushing or pulling. It's not really usable like this, so if anyone's successfully managed to mend theirs I'd be very grateful to hear from you! Thanks

Ossa - my child is in Goodrich Reception - we didn't get this letter. Frankly, they can whistle for a doctor's note if my daughter has a complaint I wouldn't normally take her to the GP for. Wouldn't imagine it's enforceable anyway.

There's a notice on the door saying there's a new system being implemented. Apparently you don't need to come in - you'll get a phone consultation and offered an appointment if you need one. I don't know how this will improve the phone queuing system though if even more is being done over the phone!

We started there last year as didn't get into any of our local choices. We were late applicants and had no trouble getting in - I think it was very undersubscribed as it only started up last Sept without much chance for people to learn much about it. I liked the ethos and the teachers but we ended up getting a place (via waiting list) at a school a lot closer after half a term so moved our daughter. The main issues I found were that kids came from a wide area so playdates were tricky, and that there was no kitchen yet built so they were only given sandwiches and fruit rather than a hot/filling meal in winter. It could well be worth putting it down as a choice if you're in doubt about getting a place at your preferred option(s) rather than being allocated somewhere you really don't want.

I've spent some time researching this after we didn't get any of our primary school 'choices' last year and thought I'd post my findings to help anyone applying now. Southwark Council unhelpfully refuses to make its measuring software available to its residents. There are a few online tools you can use, but they are only estimates and results vary massively. As we discovered, every metre counts so getting an accurate calculation is definitely worth it if you're in doubt. Using this method will give you the exact distance that Southwark will use. Find the map co-ordinates (Eastings and Northings) of your address using http://gridreferencefinder.com. Make sure you place the pin in the centre of your property (this is the point they use - not your front door). For the school's grid reference, use the list supplied by Southwark (gained using an FOI) attached here. You then use Pythagoras' theorem (yes, there is a real-world use for it!!) to calculate the distance in this way: 1. Take the digits of the smaller Easting value away from the larger Easting. 2. Multiply this number by itself. 3. Take the digits of the smaller Northing value away from the larger Northing. 4. Multiply this number by itself. 5. Add together the two numbers. 6. Get the square root of this value (using the square root button on your calculator - turn your iphone sideways to find this). This is your distance from the school in metres. Instructions are also given here: https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/resources/maps-and-geographic-resources/calculating-distances-using-grid-references.html Good luck to everyone applying this January.

Yes really! Hopefully will attract a few readers - but only useful advice please! We are sleep deprived parents who are going to be treated to a day off childcare on Saturday. We want to go and do some exciting stuff in town, but also are dreaming of an hour or two's sleep... We have the builders in, so home isn't an option unfortunately. Anyone have any ideas of where we can go for a sleep?! Oh what happened to my exciting former self...? Thanks x

edhistory Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I've not used the NLPG reference for schools. > > I'd like to know the geometry of "the visual > centre of each address". Perhaps your Southwark > contact could explain? Or perhaps not. > > A school gate example would be Goose Green School > which could use the Grove Vale or Tintagel > entrances for measurements. > > John K It literally means that they estimate the centre of the school by eye and that is then the coordinate (easting/northing) that they input into their mysterious measuring system to calculate how far away you live (using your property's NLPG reference). This is how Southwark explained it to me. I just don't understand where the school gate comes into it as I've previously heard that this is used.

edhistory Wrote: > > Each school has an official Department of > Education Ordnance Survey Grid reference. > > Each school building has an Ordnance Survey object > centroid Ordnance Survey Grid reference. > > A school can chose which school gate to measure > the catchment radius. This Ordnance Survey Grid > reference will be neither of the previous two. > > The deviation can be 100m. > > John K John K - when I queried our home-to-school measurement with Southwark, we were given the eastings/northings for the school and for our home that they use. My understanding is that they're taken from the NLPG (National land and property gazetteer) and are the visual centre of each address. Could you explain where the school gate issue comes in? Is this for non-community schools? Many thanks

Interesting. Anyone else think they should have been offered a place based on this?!

Boots def do flu jab at some stores. You may need yr maternity exemption cert to get it for free?

Postcodes cover a few properties so you need to place a pin on the map in the centre of your property and at the school gate and then measure that distance. Southwark (if this is your borough) uses a measuring tool that is not available for public use and bears v little resemblance to results from other tools. It's a far from exact science - frustrating when every metre counts for getting a place in a primary round here!

DaveR you make a fair point, but when I asked them about risks of intervention they wouldn't give or didnt have stats. If felt bizarre when the basis of their argument to induce was stats-based. I didn't feel they were giving me a balanced view and, as Mellors puts v well, in my hormonal and defensive state, I did feel accused of putting my baby at risk. To return to the OP's original question, I'd say that you should have a firm view of what you want to do BEFORE speaking to the consultants, and be aware of the fact that they will advise you according to Kings policy - ie induction at 10 days over. It's up to you if you choose to follow their advice or not.

Thanks for all the suggestions! A sticker reward chart for finishing a meal seems to have been working too. This week we've also tried noodles/stir fry and mange tout. Mange tout she did!

Just remember it's your choice! I found they do put quite a lot of pressure on you to be induced if you're v overdue. I managed to hold out until baby arrived naturally 14 days late - and got my desired homebirth which was fantastic. But I was told by 1 consultant 'We don't let women go over 10 days'. No acknowledgement of my right to choose! I found the hospital's ethos of using all means necessary to get the baby out bizarre. They're so anxious to avoid the miniscule increase in risk for the baby the longer it stays in the womb, but they don't consider the problems that failed inductions, interventions and Csecs can cause - let alone the implications for a woman who's left feeling completely out of control of the birth experience. If there had been any sign of distress on any of the late scans I had, then I would have gone in for induction. But my first child was 12 days late and I'd had a perfectly healthy pregnancy. Happily I had a v supportive Brierley midwife, and in the end was v pleased to have stuck to my guns. Didn't stop me feeling confused and worried and upset that the consultants didn't seem to believe I was doing what was best for me & my baby though.

They sort their own tax. We paid ?5/hr a couple of years ago. You could phone up the Council for their list of Ofsted-registered childminders - this has details for all as well as prices.