Norfolkvillas

@ednewmy you mention you're looking as far as Woolwich - it might be worth checking out Plumstead Common - just about walking distance (or short bus ride) from forthcoming Crossrail, some lovely Victorian housing stock, green spaces (Plumstead Common, Shrewsbury Park) and a community festival (Plumstead Make Merry) that I believe has been running 40 years. I think SE18 was recently identified as being London's cheapest postcode... might be worth considering if you can handle the fact that it's a bit of a pain to get to until Crossrail arrives in 2018...

We had a gender scan at baby bond in crystal palace (church road, I think)

Westbury on Streatham High Rd is open til midnight.... Or I think the nhs website may provide details of some kind of rota, or maybe I'm getting mixed up with GPs. There's a 24hr chemist on brompton road - prob about 30 mins drive at this time of night. Hope this helps!

I work for a website which recommends family-friendly stays around the world, and we recommend this hotel in BKK for families: https://smithandfamily.co.uk/child-friendly-hotels/oriental-residence I've not been myself, but it looks pretty ideal to me with dedicated kids pool and games room, plus self-catering apartment-style accommodation. Hope this helps. Have an amazing trip!

Second Pediped. My newest discovery for my 5 yo son is Pippo. Biff in the village stock them I think, although I tend to trawl the internet to identify the few styles that are non-pukeworthy and only then try and track them down in real life. This is more for casual rather than school shoes though. Also agree that it's no easier for girls - the pink spangliness is as revolting as it is ubiquitous.

On your question about the commute sapping your energy: I commute from the east side of ED to Shepherds Bush (and before that Chiswick). I drive, and it takes me an hour and ten minutes-ish each way and I do it 5 days a week. Traffic is sluggish and I know every single back route and short cut there is. It is undeniably a huge chunk of time out of my week, and it can make me feel like a hamster on a wheel sometimes. But generally, I wouldn't say it saps my energy and I make an effort to frame it as quality me time. I try and use the time, either for thinking through work issues, or just listening to the Today programme on R4 and keeping up with the world. And no-one asks me to wipe their bottom, which is a big plus!

Sorry, only just seen this as I've been away for half-term. We've had two garden offices built, with two different companies, and very different experiences. I'm happy to send pics of both by email - will PM you.

I was at the termly parent forum evening yesterday and Jo confirmed 57 out of the 60 places had confirmed and they were working through their waiting list. Landsberger you'll be able to see this of course when you attend the welcome evening for new parents this week, won't you? Oh no, hang on - you won't be there, as you're not a parent at the school, or in fact anything to do with the school at all, are you? So all your confident claims about undersubscribed this and failing that are nothing but fabricated trolling. It seems a funny way to enjoy yourself, but whatever floats your boat, I guess!

Curmudgeon, I haven't a crystal ball, so don't know for sure whether we'll be at the permanent site when we're meant to be, and the people controlling the schedule are the DfE, not Harris (I'd actually have more faith if it was Harris controlling the timelines!). I do know the following though: - The school has said we'll be transferring to the site for the start of the September 2016 term - The project is still on schedule (ie planning application has been submitted and awaiting hearing) - The police station is being pulled down and rebuilt, but the company doing the build have loads of other similar sized school projects on their website with build times completed in 12 months, so it must be possible, although I too originally assumed it would require a longer timescale. I guess I do have faith that, whatever happens, the school will find a workable solution for our kids. If that means staggered playtimes, or using the girls school's dining room, that doesn't sound particularly disastrous to me. My son has certainly loved his trips across to the girls school to use their cookery classrooms, being on the big stage for their nativity etc. I can see that there is an element of faith needed though, when it comes to the move date, and can understand why some would find that offputting. martspec, welcome to the forum - I can see you registered specifically to join this thread. I hope prospective parents will take with a pinch of salt your jumbled confusion of different accusations (poor teaching? bad reputation?) towards a school you admit not having anything to do with. Bisou, ref your question about free-flow classrooms in reception, I was under the impression from when I was looking round various schools last year that this was now considered best practice wherever physically possible as it allows teachers and TAs to split the two classes into smaller teaching groups so that learning can be tailored to different abilities,stages and paces - especially important in reception where even the starting ages between just 4 and almost 5 creates such a huge range of ability and aptitude, even before you add in any other factors.

@landsberger - maybe your contact at the school was thinking of the Sept 2014 intake, as our two reception classes are only 23 pupils per class? As Caroline said, this week's newsletter references 180 applications for 2015, and given Southwark will be publishing this figure at some point for all to see, it would seem a bit unlikely that they'd lie about it....

Congrats and welcome ksh and bisou too! The PTA has already started making arrangements for a welcome picnic in June for the Sept 2015 intake and will be starting a new forum thread over the next few days - watch this space!

Congrats Debbie08 and welcome! Another happy parent here - you can read my responses to previous posters further up the thread. Like others I think our new head is absolutely excellent and feel that the school is in extremely capable hands as it continues to grow, and through the transition to the permanent site from Sept 2016 (they have assured us that this is still a feasible timeline). The school now has an official PTA and there are loads of plans and ideas in the pipeline. The PTA has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/hpaeastdulwich and a website is coming imminently. Ref the question about catchment, there wasn't one in the first year but distance was (and will continue to be) measured from the permanent site rather than the temporary one. I can't think of anyone who comes in from further away than the bits of SE15 and SE23 that border onto SE22, and there are plenty of us within 500m ish of Lordship Lane, so the cohort certainly feels very "local". I'm guessing the catchment will probably narrow this year, and for future years as the school gets more established. I'm sure someone told me recently that 180 families had put it as their first choice this year...

My folks-in-law live in Rye, just down the road, and only a week or so ago, my brother-in-law, bless him, compiled a spreadsheet (!)of things to do with kids in the vicinity (his are 6 and 8). I would email it to you, but I've just realised I don't have your email - if you PM or FB it to me I'll forward his email.

I had my first when I was in SW9 with a shared caseload team working out of our GPs - the Clapham Family Practice. The model wasn't exactly the same as The Lanes, but very similar. This was 5yrs ago now though so could have changed.

I know they get booked miles in advance, but google Monte de Vilarinha. Otherwise, what about any of the family-friendly categories at Memmo Baleeira http://smithandfamily.co.uk/child-friendly-hotels/memmo-baleeira Friends have raved about Sintra but I can't remember any specific accommodation recommendations. Hope this helps!

Was it this thread? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,982460,982885#msg-982885 or this one? http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,880313,880486#msg-880486 I have since been to two of the spas I was hankering after - Corinthia and Coworth Park - and can highly recommend both if you really want to treat yourself. My sister and I bought each other a day together at the Corinthia for Christmas this year and on a cold wet January Monday spent hours and hours on the heated marble cleopatra beds - really blissful!

We have. I'll PM you.

I give my kids Udo's Choice Infant but for general well-being rather than anything specific, so not sure about specific strains to combat eczema. The health food shop on Lordship Lane stocks it and a few other brands.

We're on Friern between Underhill and Upland (but much closer to the Underhill junction) and were offered a place at Goodrich for last Sept. My neighbours two doors further towards the Upland junction got a place the year before, but I think they were the very last place offered on distance in the first round of offers. I think we're about 450m away. There seems to be SO much waiting list movement over the summer so I would have thought anyone on this stretch of Friern would have an OK chance of getting a Goodrich place from the waiting list at some point before the term starts. And the new schools (Harris and Belham) are bound to ease the pressure a little on all existing schools in the immediate surroundings. We actually chose Harris over Goodrich, and I remember doing a rough measurement between us and the permanent site and I think we're about 600m away.

Most parents I've spoken to don't seem unhappy with the swap. And I don't for a minute think it's a reflection of lack of commitment - both heads, and in fact everyone I've met so far at Harris seem hugely committed. As part of the collegiate structure, I'm pretty sure we'll still be seeing Mr Hoyte from time to time. It does sound though as if the new head in particular is going to be with our little school for the long haul - as other current parents have pointed out, she's an ED mum herself with two primary age kids at school here, and has said that her long term ambition was to build a successful school within her own community. In this respect, I can't imagine a head whose interests are more aligned with ours. I've only met her once, but she does come across as an impressive and effective head, with what appears at this stage to be a good balance of long experience and forward-thinkingness (sorry, I just made that word up!) and approachability. She's already made an impression on my son who is full of chat about her already after just the first week!

We have a lovely live-in nanny. I've PM'ed you.

Likewise, still very happy in this household. My son adores school, and talks enthusiastically about all of the teaching staff. I've been amazed at how much progress he's made in half a term! The school are very responsive and even as a nearly-full-time working mum, I feel very much in the loop. The regular letters home, newsletters and termly parents evenings are much appreciated. I only do the school run once a week, but that gives me two chances to say hi to my son's class teacher, and the head, and whilst I haven't yet had any concerns or questions, I'm reassured that they're there to chat to if need be. As a family, we've really enjoyed being part of a small, new school, and how easy and enjoyable it's been to get to know everyone - staff, kids, and parents alike. Happy to answer any specific questions by PM if it's helpful.

Hello family roomers, I thought I'd add a recommendation for Cafe G where we just hosted an after-school fifth birthday party (NB the cafe, not the Gymboree bit behind - I think they do great parties for under fives though). They allocated us the back and middle sections of the cafe, so we had plenty of room for games, and they laid on a lovely and very appealing (and not *too* sugar-laden) kids tea. Anna the manager and Charlotte the owner couldn't have been more accommodating and helpful in the run up to the event and during. There was no charge for the space - they just gave a price per head for the tea - which made the whole endeavour pretty cost-effective. We were their first party in the cafe, but they seemed keen to host more.... www.cafeg.london

I've just checked ours. It has two white stripes but the reg is PAT2. Any good? Pm me with your email or mobile if you'd like me to send a pic

@cmacnew ref your question re Harris Primary, you might be better to ask for fresh opinions on this thread http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1400102,1401424 which might better catch the eye of current Harris parents. As for us, we're just as happy now as we were when I originally posted feedback. My son adores school and his reading / writing is coming on at a frankly unbelievable rate!