MGolden

I would second Scout in 'To kill a mockingbird' - and although it's not a strictly contemporary book it really is timeless. My 13yo son is reading it now and really enjoying it and he's not a child who will willingly pick up a book.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Agreed. I think I was agreeing you actually, Otta!

Alan Medic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Actually it just made me think what a moneymaker > it is for some clubs. All those little mascots are > probably paying ?300 a go to get on the pitch for > that. All those little mascot's parents are shelling out at least that amount. Each of my sons has been a mascot once (one for Crystal Palace and one for Spurs) and we got no change out of about ?400. But saying that, both my boys play club and school football and I think the pre match handshake is supposed to remind them to be sporting on the pitch. Its's a shame that footballers can't demonstrate that. Ferdinand not shaking Cole's hand seemed particularly juvenile IMO.

We didn't use a potty with either of our boys. I just got them a step so they could stand and wee straight into the toilet. Apparently boys aren't supposed to be able to manage weeing standing hence them being trained sitting on a potty but I didn't know that so assumed the easiest way to do it was to get them a step! I also didn't actually train either of them; they both said they didn't want to wear nappies anymore and were both dry (in the day time) within about three days. My older son was 2yrs 8mths and my younder son 2yrs 10mths.

Oh Salia, I really feel for you. I've PMed you. Michele

Townley Road Holiday Sports Camp 0771 4333539. Very sports orientated as the name would suggest. But I'm not sure when in summer it will be running and the days only run from 09:30-15:30. In the past they ran extended days but don't seem to have done so for about a year. Highly recommended though, my 13yo son is quite upset that he won't be going there again after Oct half term!

Were you copied into the letters? If so, it is reasonable to go back and ask for them to be translated so that you can understand the letter. This is obviously also the case if they were written directly to you! It is actually quite poor practice to write in jargon if one is sending the letter to the patient/service user.

It may be worth asking them, sometimes people have unfounded fears about death and bereavement and just exploring their fears may shed light on why they think it 'inappropriate'.

Lindsey, did the family members who said it would be rude explain why? I come from a large Irish catholic family and my children have been to loads of funerals, they are 10 and 13 now but I remember going to funerals on both of the occasions I was on maternity leave. Generally, funerals of elderly people can be a celebration of life. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Michele

My 9yo goes to JASSPA on a Saturday and has done for a couple of years. But he has also done a summer school with Freedom Academy and he'll be starting their Saturday School in September. The summer school was fantastic, lovely people and they encouraged even the most shy of the childrern to perform.

Salsaboy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Jelly. But you can't get jelly on this forum anymore ;-)

Me too. It's shocking when people who have gone into a profession with caring at it's core appear not to care.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I give jelly no more than 3 days. Anyone else? Monday.

Jelly - I didn't insist, it was merely a comment. 'The coroner's office isn't in the habit of releasing the results of a post mortem so the day after their death' - I don't understand what you are trying to say here. Do you mean 'on' the day after a death rather than 'so'? Coroners generally don't make statements until inquests are opened and it would be highly unusual for an inquest to be opened the day after someone dies. Of course a coroner will make his or her judgement on the basis of facts and in your post you have not stated the facts regarding this person's fall. I have no idea whether the family asked a national newspaper to cover the tragic death or their loved one. I also have no idea if the blue text at the top of your post is from a national newspaper, a local newspaper or you.

Jelly - you didn't answer my other questions.

'Her death was a result of selfish negligence at the behest of a backward religion.' Jelly - have you seen her post mortem result or the conclusion of the inquest? If not, where is your evidence to make such a statement? Did this lady fall because she was dying or did she die because she fell? Have her family asked you to raise this issue in a public forum? 'Like with all people, my experience with muslims is rooted in social interaction (however reluctant)' Maybe the experience of 'all people' interacting with people of the Muslim faith is not 'rooted in social interaction', but since you are 'reluctant' to interact withpeople of a particular faith maybe you just shouldn't bother. I love living in London with it's diverse social, racial and cultural population. I come across people whose opinions I do not agree with but I do not then condemn their religion, culture or indeed race. I am sure there are communities where diversity is not valued, thank fully London is not one of them.

Your GP will give you a NHS prescription for malarone and will probably be as cheap as anywhere else to get the yellow fever jab. When I researched this last year I found that my GP was probably the best option; no more expensive than anywhere else for the yellow fever injection and NHS charges for the malarone which meant the children's were free.

When allegations are made about an organisation (or individual)that organisation cannot comment about those allegations other than, as was the case in summer, to say the organisation is confident that any investigation will determine the truth or otherwise of allegations made. At the Parents Forum meeting last week the head was as clear as he could be without breaching confidentiality that the school would work with unhappy staff and to provide support. Metallic - I think it's fabulous that you are so engaged with the discussion about local education provision and completely understand as you have said you will be looking at secondary school provision next year for your child although I am also a little surprised that you do not seem to have seen the positives in the OFSTED letter. I read it and thought it was largely positive whilst acknowledging that there are problems perceived by some staff.

Abba and Dire Straits - many songs that I only have to hear the opening bars to and I am singing along - word (if not pitch) perfect.

No it's not but it's not more likely to be young and inexperienced members of staff either. I know of experienced members of staff in public sector organisations who develop work related stress because of changes in working practices and demands so I think we need to be cautious when drawing conclusions.

Metallic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > On sick leave due to stress. What an indictment > of teaching. Whether you are on a pay freeze or > not, the fact that there are obvious problems > within this staff room is worrying because the > young inexperienced but wholeheartedly > enthusiastic teachers are the ones most likely to > succumb to stress. Metallic, I'm sure Debster99 will correct me if I'm wrong but I read her post as meaning staff in her staff room are off with stress. I don't think she has said she knows anything about the sick leave of Kingsdale staff. Or were you assuming that what is happening in Debster99's place of work is happening throughout education?

westof Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Carbonara Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > My friend was told that her child had been > offered > > a full sports scholarship for KD, but has now > not > > been offered a place. They have been offered a > > place at a lower choice school. How can this > > happen? > > We were in this position 2 years ago - I believe > this because they are only permitted to select a > maximum of 15% via the scholarships, but also > offer the scholarships (i.e. free lessons or > whatever) to children who get a place via the > banded lottery. > > So (as with us) your friends son wasn't part of > the 15% selected, and also hasn't received a place > via the lottery. > > In our case, we went on the waiting list - in fact > we on both the "Scholarship" waiting list, and the > Main waiting list, and got regular emails to let > know how our position on each list. > > It's very frustrating - but if you phone the > school immediately, they may not know yet what > position you are. IIRC it took a while, possibly > even a few weeks? until all parents had accepted > or rejected their offers, before they could quote > the initial positions on the waiting lists. > > BUT your friend can & should still immediately > request to be put on the waiting list (either by > email or by phone - I emailed because I prefer to > have the response in writing). > > Good Luck to your friend! We were in exactly the ssame position two years ago. There really is a lot of movement although at the time it does feel pretty awful. Good luck to your friend.

I agree with Westof and Curmudgeon - a largely positive report which reinforces what I already know about the school: largely positive staff and children who are doing well academically and are well behaved. Any large organisation is going to have some staff who are unhappy and I would be more concerned about a report that said 'all is wonderful'.

EDMummy - you won't be offered them if you accept Harris ED.

Emily, just to add to bibimax's post. Two years ago, this was my son. We were offered none of our six choices but instead offered a school that was a three hour round trip involving two buses each way. My son really did think he was a failure, as did the ten other boys in his year at school. Not helped by the fact that he was being bullied at the time as well so the whole secondary school thing just added to his general feelings of uselessness. A month later we were able to tell him he was going to Kingsdale which was on our list. His sense of relief was palpable. All of the children in the same boat as him were also offered places within a month too. Interestingly, one of the boys was offered a place that his parents hadn't considered but where, two years later, he is thriving academically and socially. Last year was the same in our primary school and, again, within a month all those not offered a place parents were happy with were offered a place they were happy with within a month. In at least one case I know of a boy was offered places from each of the top three on his list within a month as each school operates their own waiting list. I'm sure that right now it feels terrible but these things do come to an end and it will be alright.