clux

I think that it would help if people were realistic with their choices. Not everyone in East Dulwich can get into Goodrich - especially as there seems to be such a high percentage of siblings taking up places. I completely understand that everyone wants the best school for their child but if you live 1000m from your first choice, popular, over-subscribed school you're not going to get in however much you want to.

I'm sorry for repeating myself but I just wanted to say that things do move a lot - we were 7th on the waiting list for our school and we got in 2 weeks into term. It is horrible to have to sit and wait but all you can do is put yourself on waiting lists and regularly check in to see how things are going. Good luck everyone. I've been there and its horrible.

Is the failing school you're all talking about John Donne??

I was in tears this time last year so I know how you all feel. It's horrible and I hated the way I was totally helpless and that if i lived 50m nearer I would probably have got a place and had nothing to worry about.

Just curious, which Nunhead school is failing?

We didn't get a place at any of our 4 choices last year but did end up in our favourite school eventually - 2 weeks after term started. We were initially 7th on the list. My advice would be to find out where you are on the waiting list and then to make yourself known to the person in charge of the school office and keep in regular touch with them. Things do change a lot between now and when term starts but it is a really really horrible wait! I think hardly anyone wins an appeal.

My daughter's school is being used as a polling station but the school is still open tomorrow

Lewisham were more helpful than Southwark last year - in the letter you got from the schools you applied to they told you how many metres you live from the school and how many metres away the furthest child who got in lived. We didn't get any of our four choices initially but my daughter started school in January (at her second choice which we got offered a place at during the shake down) and then two weeks in to term we got a place at our first choice - we were 7th on waiting list when the places were first allocated, so there is hope!!)

Last year Southwark and Lewisham definitely didn't link their systems as I rejected a place in Southwark and then later accepted one in Lewisham, and then I still got a letter 6 months from BOTH schools thinking we still wanted a place.

I missed out on my first choice school in Lewisham last year (we live 576m away) but did get a place two weeks into term. We were initially 7th on the waiting list so there is definite hope as a lot does change! good luck everyone - its a horrible time.

she came to my house in nunhead last year with exactly the same story about needing to heat up her kids milk - i offered to heat up a bottle for her if she wanted to go and get one. never saw her again!

there's a blue sign on the side of the car with a camera on it

The car was parked outside hollydale school in nunhead this morning at about 8.45. maybe its going to go round all the schools at drop off and pick up times

hello my daughter ended up in A&? with this yesterday and we were seen within about 5 minutes. we went to a&e when she couldn't even keep sips of water down anymore hope he's better soon

hello everyone thank you so much for all your messages of support - especially molly i took mabel to the doctor on monday, they checked her over and sent me straight to A&E. They took blood tests and said her blood sugar level was way too low, her temperature was too low and she was dehydrated. So she spent the whole day on a drip. They then said they were going to have to transfer us somewhere else as they didn't have a bed for a night, but then she sat up asked for food, ate an apple and banana and just looked a lot better. So they checked all her bloods again and she'd massively improved and i was allowed to bring her home on the understanding that if she started being sick again i had to take her back. So far so good this morning, asked for and ate some breakfast. No sick but one huge amount of poo all over my bathroom floor when i got her out of the bath!! Guess her food is going through again!! So all in all, we're a much happier house today. I've never been so stressed. Thanks again everyone - you're the best!

hello thanks ever so much for your replies - very hugely appreciated had another night where she was completely restless and whimpering and threw up all the water we gave her. have phoned the doctor and they can see her this morning but part of me is wondering if i should just take her into a&e as i don't have a huge amount of faith in my doctor... she attempted to eat some breakfast for the first time in 3 days but it soon reappeared. she is now asleep on the sofa i am so stressed i've been in tears about 4 times this morning already

... and i'm now becoming incredibly stressed! it all started on friday morning, with a huge explosion of vomit in my elder daughters first ever school assembly! by midnight on friday she wasn't even keeping water down and when i phoned nhs direct they got an out of hours doctor to call and they sent someone round to check her. the doctor checked her over, said she wasn't dehydrated and that half of london were suffering with the same thing! since then though she has eaten virtually nothing and has even stopped wanting drinks as whenever she eats or drinks something she then cries and says her tummy hurts. i've had to resort to giving her spoonfuls of water whenever i can get her to take one. feeling very very stressed. i hate it when i babies are ill. i don't handle it very well and become totally pessimistic. if anyone has any reassuring words (along the lines of "she will sleep all night and wake up totally better in the morning") they'd be hugely appreciated.

we bought these in january for my 4 year old and nearly 2 year old. http://www.marksandspencer.com/Marks-and-Spencer-Bunkbed-Mattresses/dp/B002CNRUBU?ie=UTF8&qid=1268583385&categoryNodeID=&ref=sr_1_2&page=&node=42966030&sr=1-2&mnSBrand=core&rh= I've got them in white and my sister has the wood finish -they both look great. i'm really pleased with them. they seem to put them on special offer every now and again and reduce them to ?319 (which seeing as it includes decent mattresses is a really good price) m and s deliver them, build them and take all the packaging away as well which is brilliant

hello I can completely sympathise - my 2 year old is throwing up today. was bright as a button this morning - took her to my 4 year old's first ever school assembly (in which she was the old lady in the enormous turnip - a very prestigious role!) and she threw up on the floor in the middle of it. I will know be known as "the one who's little girl threw up in the middle of assembly" for the next 6 years! she was sick twice more this morning but has perked up a bit now BRAT - is bananas, rice, apples and toast (i think!) hope he feels better soon hope i hate it when they're ill.

hello there were warning signs - the day before the spots appeared she was quite hot and she had a very pale rash across her stomach so i knew it was on its way! we're on day 5 today and i think we may finally be over the worst. the poor little thing is totally covered (even got some in her mouth now) but she has only cried for about half the day as opposed to about 95% of the day like the rest of the week!! you can get it twice if you only have a mild case the first time - or thats what a GP told my husband anyway

My daughter went through a stage of doing this - I always had to be really rubbish characters too and i was only allowed to say what she told me to, I wasn't allowed to improvise or i'd get a right telling off. We used to have to do the Wizard of Oz, The gingerbread man, Lion King. And it was always the same part of the story over and over again Now she is 4 and a half and at big school she seems to have outgrown it though!

my daughter has just started reception at a school in Lewisham - Edmund Waller. They don't have a uniform and I find it really strange and a bit of a pain. Uniform makes the morning rush so much easier! You can buy a school sweatshirt - but that seems even more weird - either do a uniform or don't!

now my nearly 2 year old has it - really badly! she is totally covered. have had 2 sleepless nights, and she's now laying on the sofa refusing to eat and occasionally whimpering. god its horrible.

Vangough, we are about 560m from the school we have finally got into - and apparently the distance is getting less every year. Don't want to be negative but I would think that there are very few schools with a catchment area of 1.2 miles

god you lot are really good!!! thanks everyone for the fantastic tips and ideas! Somehow i don't feel quite so alone knowing you've all been through it!!! Anna, that is a really really kind offer - thank you so much. My sister is coming over later (with her 2 year old who hasn't had it but she's happy for her to get it out of the way!) so i will manage to pop out to the chemist and the library later hopefully