DenmotherSmith

That sounds fantastic Coach Beth. Great to see such productions going on. Looks like a hot ticket!

My children's primary school regularly staged whole school theatrical performances ( Lion King, Wizard of Oz that kind of thing)with every child given the opportunity to be involved. My eldest child in particular loved them and performed in three over his time at the school and has since gone on to perform at the National Theatre and the Globe. The school has a new head and I have been told that large school productions are not something they plan to do any longer. Is this quite common? Do most schools put on such shows? That involve lighting, costumes, make up, parental help etc. I visited a friends kids school ( Kilmorie) to see their end of year production of Charlie and The Chocolate factory and it was fantastic and really made me think if this is something that my children's primary no longer wants to do perhaps I should consider moving them elsewhere? I still have two children in the very early stages of primary. It is because the experience of such productions gave my eldest a window into a world of performance he found he loved, that I would really like my younger children to have the same opportunities. I know that schools have lots to juggle and heads face many pressures these days, with OFSTED breathing down their necks. I know such performances may seem trivial in ones decision to send your child to a school but having seen the results in the development of my eldest it is important to me. Any thoughts from parents at local schools as to what their school do would be much appreciated.

Hi GinaG3 My son had six months on Hydroxyzine (10mg/5ml) when he was seven. It was to bring a very severe case of hypersensitivity under control and stop him scratching at night. I found we had to time the dose just right or else he was very difficult to rouse in the mornings. It did make a great difference and brought his skin to a level where the topical steroid and dermabase could actually work, after six months he was moved on to levocetirizine at a quite low dose and we have really turned a corner. He has many scars but inflamed skin is at an all time low, with one or two very small patches only on his legs (was whole body before) I feel such a relief seeing it clearing. We also spent weekends at the beach and I found paddling in the sea really has helped those last patches recently. He was treated by dermatology specialising GP at the surgery on Burbage? Road, Herne Hill. I really hope your daughters starts skin improves soon, it can feel like such a relentless battle. X

Harris Boys are taking part in Dulwich Open House this weekend, with displays of local artist work, GCSE students work, linocut work shop and observational drawing. Bring the kids along and have a go! Sat and Sun, 11-4.

When my father in law died we donated his mobility scooter to his local Salvation Army centre. I believe they then lent It to those in need as and when they needed it. Hope this helps N

We received our first choice and of those I've heard from seven received their first choice and one their third! So unusual, last year so many seemed not to get their first choice. Sydenham girls, Kingsdale and Harris Boys were the first choices.

I have attended three sleep overs at the British Museum with my son who has a membership. One just him and I, one him,I and his brothers and one with him, I and three friends for his birthday. They are great, the activities last till around midnight and you are up at 7 for a morning activity and breakfast. At the British Museum they cost around ?35 per person and your child will need to be a 'young friend' member as well. The maximum group size is 5 including the member and a responsible adult. We have really enjoyed them, it is a privilege to have close up time with famous artefacts and see the museum empty. You sleep in the main egyptian gallery and last time we bedded down in front of the Rosetta stone! I can throughly recommended them. Nadya

I've had the Hamax Discovery 101 Front Mounted Seat, my youngest three kids have all used it from approx 9 months to three years. We brought it back from Berlin about nine years ago after using it whilst visiting friends there, having only seen the rear ones in the UK. Its fantastic, light, easy to fit and very sturdy. We also bought an additional mounting bracket so it could be easily moved between mine or my husbands bike. All the children have loved it, and I personally found it easy to ride with it on. My daughter particularly loves ringing the bell and waving to passers by, she seems to think she is captain of the ship! I'm sure I saw one in BC bikes, but do PM if you want to pop over and see how it fits. Denmothersmith

"Those of us who campaigned against the Harris secondary a few years ago predicted it would not be a local school - and indeed it is not. What we have is an intrusive eyesore, not a school that local people send their children too." I really find this statement irritating and not helpful to the debate about a new primary school. I'm a local parent, my son attends Harris Boyds ED, all his school friends are local boys. This insinuation that the school does not serve the local population has some deeply disturbing undertones, the snobbery of some posters on here, who look at the boys from Harris and say 'oh they are not from around here' is nauseating. Plenty of local parents chose to send their sons there, plenty will chose to send them to a Harris primary should it happen.

I think Ive seen same page from the Independent , Im pretty certain it says January 2012, so deals with 2011 results.

I have a 'manny' he is excellent, I have three sons and their often robust play and attitude is better served by a male carer. He is also great at boy centric play, tree climbing, conker gathering, skating, making swords etc.

Hi Gorby My son is in year 8 at Harris Boys, he does not have any SEN needs but Ive heard from other parents that the SEN provision is good. From a personal view my sons experience of the pastoral care has been very good. It is a small school so the staff get to know the students very well. Ive meet the SEN Co-ordinator, she seemed very on the ball and caring, I suggest you contact her directly, her name is Karen Sitch, her email will be on the school website or call the school directly.

Its really not true. The schools do not know the order you have put them in, and I know people who have received places at Askes when it was not their first choice. I think the school has contributed in the past to perpetuating that myth by sending out 'you would have got a place with us if you had put us first' letters, to those it especially wanted to give music scholarships to! Basically you put down your schools in order of preferences on the form, i.e. the school you loved at number one and the school you could just about accept at six, you send the form to your LEA, they forward your application details to each school, the schools then match your details against their admissions criteria, distance, sibling, faith etc. they then offer or do not offer you a place,this info is sent back to your LEA, they then look at all the offers you have received and accept the one that was highest on your list of preferences. You could in theory be offered from every school on your list but the LEA would accept the one from your first preference, all your other offers would go back into the pot. This is why the whole process takes from november till march to sort out!

It's 67% including maths and English, the 100% figure is for 5 a-c gcse's of any subject and I believe includes btec equivalents etc. In my opinion the results including maths and English are the ones to watch, these core curriculum departments are very important.

I visited Harris Girls ED open evening and asked the vice principal abouth their GCSE results, they were 67% (5 A-C inc. Maths & English) he claimed the marking debacle had lost them 2%, also visited Kingsdale in the morning but could not find info on their results. It is rather annoying that at this period when parents and year sixes are looking at potential schools there is a lack of information about a very key factor of a schools performance

Went to Myatts field this morning and all was working well.

Harris Boys Academy is taking part in the Artist Open house this weekend. Both local artists and students will be displaying work. It's a great opportunity for future parents and pupils to check out the art department and generally be a bit nosey!

My son was in year six last year at Ivydale and when I read the improved results and the clamour for them from prospective parents it reminds me that he was literally put through the ringer last year, with SATS, SATS SATS forced down his throat. He was exhausted, unwell during the SATAS week, and facing a barrage of come to school early, have some free breakfast, put on a treadmill that only benefitted the school and did him no favours. It certainly was not like that under the previous Headship. It really made his final year a less happy then it should have been. I do have other children attending the school, it can be chaotic, communication is often poor, I find the office staff abrasive to say the least and senior management can be slow to listen to parents. BUT most of the class teachers are brilliant, music is excellent , the after school enrichment program is fantastic, all my kids have had many great experiences through the school. For me the jury is still out on the new head, but its still a good school.

Last year we received our fourth choice HBED, son was thrilled as many of his friends had a place there, I was less sure due to it being an unknown entity, without GCSE results and (at the time )full OFSTED, so we accepted the place, and remained on the waiting lists for the other choices. Both lewisham schools (Askes and Forrest Hill Boys, sent letters out within days, stating our position in the waiting list, and why we had not received a place ie distance, banding etc.The Southwark school, Kingdale was much slower with a letter not making an appearance for some weeks and only stating we were on the waiting list and in which band, I kept his name on both FHB and Askes lists right up untill Christmas! just wanted to be sure he was really settled before removing him from the waiting lists. I am soooo happy that the sibling policy means I can (kind of) rest easy for son no. 2 next year, at least we will have a place we are sure of!

My son is a year seven at Harris Boys, I wanted a mixed school for him ( I have three sons and a daughter)but he really liked the school and was not bothered about the lack of girls so we decided to give our fifth choice (grr) a chance and so far he has been very happy. I think the schools (Harris boys and girls) do have plans to become more entwined in the future.I get the impression that Harris wanted the boys school to make its own mark and the girls school to improve (Harris has only had the school for about four years) They do have a shared governing body and my son is going on a joint water sports holiday to Spain with yr7 Harris girls, he also was part of a joint choir that practiced at the girls school. I've heard there are plans to have a joint sibling entrance policy in the future. The sixth form is also mixed. Im happy for my daughter to attend Harris girls (she is three so still some time yet!) I totally agree with the all siblings at same school sentiment, it definitely makes for an easier life all round, but I understand that it is not for everyone. I am hoping that with more encouragement and support from parents both schools will introduce a more mixed environment, realistically I think this would be joint after school activities, drama production, DofE etc. Its what I will be asking for at parent forum meetings.

For me the interesting point about Harris Girls is that their results in 2011 were the same as Kingsdale and Charter (all 66% GCSE A-C inc. Maths & English) which is very impressive considering that Kingsdale select 15% of their intake and as I read above many able/more affluent parents move to get their child into charter so they too are getting a 'selection' of children. Yet poor old Harris girls, no one is moving to get their daughter in there, nor paying a fortune in music lessons for a that elusive scholarship and yet their results are just as good. Must be the teaching! I know a few girls that go there, all are local, Peckham, Nunhead etc. In fact I don't think you will find many, if any girls there who do not come from SE15 or SE22. My son attends Harris Boys ED and almost all the boys are local too. p.s. anyone with sons, who is considering Harris boys in the next year or two, they had an OFSTED last month in which they were rated outstanding!! They received outstanding in almost every criteria ( I believe all bar two which were good) especially their teaching, attainment and progress for all pupils was rated outstanding. Its not on OFSTEDs site yet but is on the schools.

Hello Lea Pea My son started in Harris Boys this September and so far he is loving it. It was not my first choice, but it was his, plus he transferred with nine boys from his primary school so the whole transfer experience for him has been very smooth. So far I am very happy with the school, it is as mentioned above, very slick and organised. The teachers have been quick to respond when I have contacted them, and also telephoning to let me know that they have been very happy with his work. It is very firm on discipline, but my son has not had a single reprimand, he's a smart boy, loves to learn, and understands what behaviour is required of him. He seems to like the fact that other pupils bad behaviour is not allowed to interfere with his learning. The behaviour expectations are very clear and the boys receive a verbal warning, followed by isolation if the behaviour continues, and detention. My son certainly does not feel that the discipline is unfair or metered out unnecessarily. After-school activities are not compulsory, only the 'homework club' which is for those pupils who are not completing their homework satisfactorily at home. So far my son has joined the after-school art class, choir, and debating club. For such a small school (currently 450) there are a lot of after-school clubs ( about four to six different clubs each afternoon) They are steadily increasing their music provision, with several instruments available for tuition plus music theory. I do not think the provision of sports is excessive, the timetable runs over two weeks, and in that time my son has two hours of dance, one hour of swimming, two hours of outdoor sports i.e. football, rugby etc. and one hour of indoor sports basketball etc. In the same time period he has three hours of music, two of drama and three of art. He receives quite a bit of homework, all of which has been interesting and he has enjoyed doing. The school does expect the boys to be responsible and organised, having the correct kit, books, uniform etc. and they are disciplined if they fail to do so. My son is the eldest of four, very mature for his age, and has not struggled with this but some of his friends from primary school have found it more challenging. The food is also exceptionally good and he comes home raving about it! He also loves the fact that its so close (We live in nunhead) and he really enjoys cycling to school. With regard to your application form, I suggest you really do put down the schools you like in order of preference, even it your chances are very slim of gaining a place, if its your favourite school put if first. Good luck, I actually was very pleasantly surprised buy how good the secondary schools were when we were looking last year and did not visit one I thought he wouldn't be happy in.

"I've visited the school and they are absolutely clear what their S106 obligations are. So, they are planning to invest a lot of money in renovating and fixing other local pitches (Athenlay FC). So you may well see ED Harris Boys in sports kit in the future jogging across Peckham Rye to that football ground." Hi James I'm really please that Harris Boys are planning to renovate and use Athenlay FC grounds for much needed sports facilities (my son is in year 7 at HBED) but have heard from a local resident that there is some opposition to this and a letter has been distributed locally asking residents to protest. Naturally Im keen to add my voice in support of Harris Boys use of the grounds, do you know if there will be any council meetings where the matter will be discussed? Is it a matter for council input? And you are quite right, it is ridiculous that Harris boys are unable to use the park, when kids from other schools, and indeed Harris girls school frequently use it!

Hi Mark I have been following this thread with great interest, as an atheist I understand the disappointment and frustration you must feel in your son being assigned a 'faith school'. I feel very strongly that parents who do not wish their child to attend a faith school should have their desire respected as a human right. I was therefore surprised that in your meeting with Katharine Birbalsingh the issue of your son being offered a place at a faith school did not seem to be the central theme, in fact an altogether more sinister, daily mail friendly hook, of not wanting your son to be schooled with out fear of stabbing. ?I just want my boy to go to a school where he isn?t in danger of being stabbed, you know? I just don?t want him to be bullied. I want him to feel safe, not scared.? Was the faith element ironed out of the interview? Because there in lies the rub, the issue of faith schools is so similar to that of free schools, a group of like minded individuals, a faith group, parents, whomever, develops a school around a shared ideology. My fear with the proliferation of free schools is that in ten years this forum and others will echo with countless parents bemoaning that their child has a place at a free school whose ideology does not resonate their own. I can naturally understand your desire to seek change, to give your child the best education by any means necessary but free schools, through looking rosy now, I believe are a slippery slope to disintegration of state education. I wish you all the best in securing a place for your son.

It would be really useful to contact instigators of the original EDEN campaign. I attended a couple of meetings and I seem to recall the initial thrust of the campaign was the lack of local secondary places for boys, not primarly a desire for a co-ed. I think this is why the the boys school option was pursued by southwark when waverly becoming co-ed ceased to be an option. The two schools were to be federated but this also became lost along the way. My son will be starting at Harris boys in September so co-ed to late for him, but have a two year old girl so lots of reasons to see it through. Harris have a parents forum so will sound out opinions from other parents.