Belle

I've been buying Katie Morag books for boys and girls alike of this age.

The nodal point has come up - certainly there were discussions about this at the Goose Green Fair on the Haberdasher's stand. I believe there will be opportunity to quiz Habs on this more at the public meeting, details of which will be announced shortly. Speaking as a steering group member (and indeed a parent who might fall into a secondary black hole) I can absolutely see the value of this approach.

(Also posted on Haberdasher's thread) Readers of this thread may be interested in the recent correspondence between the Harris Federation and the New Secondary School East Dulwich parent steering group. Letter from Harris attached (word document), and link to the New Secondary School East Dulwich Facebook page for our response. I'm also pasting the text of our response below in case the link doesn't work. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1526078214279320&set=a.1519943881559420.1073741828.1476809155872893&type=1&theater&notif_t=like Mr Chris Randall Director of New Developments Harris Federation 4th Floor, Norfolk House Wellesley Road Croydon CR0 1LU 25 June 2014 Dear Chris, New secondary school for East Dulwich; the Dulwich Hospital site. Thank you for your letter dated June 13th; it provides a very concise summary of your current position in relation to the DfE?s indicative approval of your bid to open a new primary free school for Nunhead families under ?Wave 5? of free school applications. The steering group agree with your own clear assessment that a primary school for Nunhead families located on the Dulwich Hospital site would indeed be the least ideal outcome for those Nunhead families. We also recognise that the two other preferred outcomes that you are seeking to explore - expansion on / or adjacent to the grounds of the Harris Girls Academy, or another suitable site in Nunhead - are solutions that will take a significant amount of effort and commitment to deliver. Whilst free school applications are not site specific prior to approval, we trust that a dynamic and experienced federation such the Harris Federation would have fully appraised these site options at the point that the bid was developed. Your case for a primary school for Nunhead must have been made based on identified local support for the new school and a clear demand for future primary places in Nunhead. It would therefore fall someway short of your own aspirations; the needs of those local families and indeed the broader principles of the whole free school framework if you were unable to do so in the way you intended. This is something that you as the applicant are in a position to convey most strongly to the DfE and the EFA. Our own campaign has gathered significant levels of local support due to the sheer numbers of families that will be directly affected by the projected shortfall of secondary school places for Sept 2016 and beyond. This shortage is now the most pressing local educational need. You will be aware that in addition to your own Harris East Dulwich primary free school approved for the site of the former police station Lordship Lane there has been another primary free school on Bellenden Road approved recently. There is also a significant programme of primary school place expansion within a number of existing local Southwark schools. Along with the parents that make up our steering group, you will understand more than any other stakeholder that local primary and secondary schools are an integral part of any area. They are not branch outlets of franchises that can go anywhere within reason on a map. They are all unique, varied and vital parts of a local community?s infrastructure; the fabric of a specific place where young and vulnerable children live and learn. We don?t believe that this should ever be compromised for any outcome that is anything less than ideal. But as you correctly point out you are not the decision makers, the EFA as the facilitating agency for site acquisitions and Southwark Council as the local planning authority and broader education authority are the two key stakeholders that you must engage with in order to find a way to resolve this. Your letter gives us some confidence that this is indeed your intention. We hope that this is the start of a constructive dialogue between the Harris Federation and the parent steering group. As part of that dialogue the steering group would like to share with you the clear views of our supporting families on the type of local school they would like to see. At a recent public consultation event, held at Goose Green on May 11th, people were asked to provide feedback on what they felt was important for a new secondary school for the area. The overwhelming message (97%) from respondents was that adequate space for sports facilities and playgrounds were an important priority for a new secondary school. All respondents (100%) considered that a school should be of adequate size to ensure that it had classrooms, drama facilities, technology labs and spaces to provide a broad and full curriculum. Local opinion was overwhelmingly supportive (93%) of the Dulwich hospital site as the best/only local option as a site for a new secondary school. The steering group believes that given the strength of local opinion, the entire site (disposed of by the NHS once they have determined their requirements for a new health centre) should be purchased for the sole purpose of a local secondary school. The site is large, but not vast. Our steering group membership and supporters are drawn from approximately a dozen of the primary schools closest to the site. We actively support all our local schools; we also support choice when it comes to this opportunity to determine who the new provider might be to address the acute need for secondary places in the area. We appreciate that you acknowledge this yourselves; with an existing family of three academies already, you tell us you have no plans to establish a new through school or secondary school in the area. The success and achievements of your existing schools is a credit to the hard work of pupils, teachers and staff of your federation and its ethos. We wish them all bright futures. Yours Sincerely C Rose Parent Steering Group

Readers of this thread may be interested in the recent correspondence between the Harris Federation and the New Secondary School East Dulwich parent steering group. Letter from Harris attached (word document), and link to the New Secondary School East Dulwich Facebook page for our response. I'm also pasting the text of our response below in case the link doesn't work. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1526078214279320&set=a.1519943881559420.1073741828.1476809155872893&type=1&theater Mr Chris Randall Director of New Developments Harris Federation 4th Floor, Norfolk House Wellesley Road Croydon CR0 1LU 25 June 2014 Dear Chris, New secondary school for East Dulwich; the Dulwich Hospital site. Thank you for your letter dated June 13th; it provides a very concise summary of your current position in relation to the DfE?s indicative approval of your bid to open a new primary free school for Nunhead families under ?Wave 5? of free school applications. The steering group agree with your own clear assessment that a primary school for Nunhead families located on the Dulwich Hospital site would indeed be the least ideal outcome for those Nunhead families. We also recognise that the two other preferred outcomes that you are seeking to explore - expansion on / or adjacent to the grounds of the Harris Girls Academy, or another suitable site in Nunhead - are solutions that will take a significant amount of effort and commitment to deliver. Whilst free school applications are not site specific prior to approval, we trust that a dynamic and experienced federation such the Harris Federation would have fully appraised these site options at the point that the bid was developed. Your case for a primary school for Nunhead must have been made based on identified local support for the new school and a clear demand for future primary places in Nunhead. It would therefore fall someway short of your own aspirations; the needs of those local families and indeed the broader principles of the whole free school framework if you were unable to do so in the way you intended. This is something that you as the applicant are in a position to convey most strongly to the DfE and the EFA. Our own campaign has gathered significant levels of local support due to the sheer numbers of families that will be directly affected by the projected shortfall of secondary school places for Sept 2016 and beyond. This shortage is now the most pressing local educational need. You will be aware that in addition to your own Harris East Dulwich primary free school approved for the site of the former police station Lordship Lane there has been another primary free school on Bellenden Road approved recently. There is also a significant programme of primary school place expansion within a number of existing local Southwark schools. Along with the parents that make up our steering group, you will understand more than any other stakeholder that local primary and secondary schools are an integral part of any area. They are not branch outlets of franchises that can go anywhere within reason on a map. They are all unique, varied and vital parts of a local community?s infrastructure; the fabric of a specific place where young and vulnerable children live and learn. We don?t believe that this should ever be compromised for any outcome that is anything less than ideal. But as you correctly point out you are not the decision makers, the EFA as the facilitating agency for site acquisitions and Southwark Council as the local planning authority and broader education authority are the two key stakeholders that you must engage with in order to find a way to resolve this. Your letter gives us some confidence that this is indeed your intention. We hope that this is the start of a constructive dialogue between the Harris Federation and the parent steering group. As part of that dialogue the steering group would like to share with you the clear views of our supporting families on the type of local school they would like to see. At a recent public consultation event, held at Goose Green on May 11th, people were asked to provide feedback on what they felt was important for a new secondary school for the area. The overwhelming message (97%) from respondents was that adequate space for sports facilities and playgrounds were an important priority for a new secondary school. All respondents (100%) considered that a school should be of adequate size to ensure that it had classrooms, drama facilities, technology labs and spaces to provide a broad and full curriculum. Local opinion was overwhelmingly supportive (93%) of the Dulwich hospital site as the best/only local option as a site for a new secondary school. The steering group believes that given the strength of local opinion, the entire site (disposed of by the NHS once they have determined their requirements for a new health centre) should be purchased for the sole purpose of a local secondary school. The site is large, but not vast. Our steering group membership and supporters are drawn from approximately a dozen of the primary schools closest to the site. We actively support all our local schools; we also support choice when it comes to this opportunity to determine who the new provider might be to address the acute need for secondary places in the area. We appreciate that you acknowledge this yourselves; with an existing family of three academies already, you tell us you have no plans to establish a new through school or secondary school in the area. The success and achievements of your existing schools is a credit to the hard work of pupils, teachers and staff of your federation and its ethos. We wish them all bright futures. Yours Sincerely C Rose Parent Steering Group

It's brilliant news, I'm so excited about this!

Yes, actually - from what I've heard about Horniman, I do also wish we'd have had a shot at it - we wouldn't get in from where we are, and it is only one form entry and very tight catchment I think. Having said that, I love living near Peckham Rye Park and would miss it terribly if we ever moved.

the furthest distance figure is based on the first round of offers - there is a bit of a shakedown after that which would mean the 'catchment' as such could grow once people turn down places to go elsewhere/go private etc...but depending where exactly it was I'd have thought you'd get in from there, obviously hard to say for sure unless you actually live next door to the school. Not sure re Harris as this being its first year their admissions were done outside of the Southwark admissions system, they do seem to have filled their 60 places though. And yes - Bessemer and poss Goose Green cd also be options from Oakhurst - it's just really hard to say with any certainty I'm afraid. However I'd say the primary places issue looks like it's going to ease considerably in the next few years.

Hi Wharto, that's pretty near me (the underhill road one) - you wd have a good chance of Goodrich from there, I'd have thought - or possibly the new Harris which will open temporarily over on Peckham Rye this year (in the Harris girls school) but moves to Whately Road (site of old police station) in a year or two I believe. Oakhurst Grove - poss St john's and st clements, though I believe it was v oversubscribed this year - but again poss new Harris, or the effect of it at least would free up places. Remember that things will change by the time you are ready to apply/places are allocated.

Sorry didn't see Vez's post - cross posted!

Hello! ED is a great place to live with children - although, as you say, it is increasingly expensive. The primary schools are all pretty good, but the growing number of families living here has put pressure on school capacities, meaning that it now can seem as though if you don't live in a street practically oppposite a school you won't get in. Hopefully with the new schools opening (one this year, one next) that situation will right itself a bit... when is your daughter 5? As you may have more time than you think depending on where her birthday falls. Forest Hill/Sydenham/Honor Oak Park also worth considering - poss more affordable than ED, also have nice green spaces/amenities and good transport links. There is a thread on here of Beckenham mums so they may be able to advise you about it as an area compared to ED. Given you are moving from somewhere else I'd definitely opt to be near some friends - b ut can certainly say that round here is very friendly and you'll meet people in no time. Hope that helps! Oh - childcare - nurseries are not cheap round here, and they do have waiting lists - but it depends what days you need so worth calling round. Lots of threads on here about the various local nurseries to give you an idea. There are lots of childminders working in this area, if you look on here you will find adverts or you can call southwark council to get a list. Pretty sure there is now assistance from 2 years for nursery costs, depending on income.

I think there's a Mothercare on Old Kent Road that would be good for this?

Seamaster on Forest Hill Road is great. You can sit in there too.

Push studios have them I think

I don't think 8 months is too young - left my first for one night at 7 months, and 2 nights at 9 mths. But y es guess it depends on the baby/grandparents!

I think ESPH offer private classes, and I can highly recommend their studio sessions which might be more beneficial than mat work? They are a physio-led gym so wd have thought it would be a good place to start. It is pretty expensive doing the studio sessions though. I think there are independent practitioners locally too so might be worth asking around.

I can't help with building a treehouse I'm afraid, but nice to have you back!

We use the Sistema ones and find they work pretty well.

For those following the Tessa Jowell/Michael Gove correspondence on this, here is TJ's response to Gove's letter: http://www.tessajowell.net/uploads/f00a48ee-7141-f7f4-994c-6433c2027fb9.pdf

Here's Tessa Jowell's reply to Michael Gove: http://www.tessajowell.net/uploads/f00a48ee-7141-f7f4-994c-6433c2027fb9.pdf

We shut the door (other than if my older son is going through a phase of liking it open), but my 2 yr old can easily open it...he's just not ready for a bed, we moved my oldest much later and he never got out of bed. Tried with my 2 yr old when he was just 2 - he was out straight away. So he's back in the cot for now! is that an option for you?

First Mate, I believe the Dept of Health has indicated how much space they need for the services they need to perform on the site, and that leaves ample room for the secondary school.

Oooh! Thanks. And good website she has linked to in her tweet! Will tweet her about it! thanks so much.

Side issue, but on Judith Kerr: they have been consulting about plans for a big redevelopment of the site I think. Are these subject to Dulwich Estate approval?

Hi - I've never heard of the nest, where is it?

Yep I love those iokids ones - they pop up in Living etc all the time! I think they are quite dear - can't remember how much though. They were too big for our kids' room so didn't consider them.