Caroline_S

It depends a bit on where in East Dulwich you are living. We use Peckham Rye station which has trains to London Bridge, Victoria and the overground. It takes my husband half an hour door to door to get to Canary Wharf and although the trains get busy, he rarely has problems. In terms of meeting new people, and other mums, it's really easy! This forum is amazing at facilitating meet-ups for new people - I met lots of my friends through the seasonal 'babies' threads. There are so many groups for babies / small children too so you often bump into familiar faces. We really love it here and feel very settled. It's the best of both worlds - a great community feeling and lots of green spaces but still pretty central and easy to get into town.

peggoula Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hello > We didn't get anywhere on out choices either, but > have been to all the Harris meetings and I was > impressed by the professionalism of everyone > involved, plus I feel that they will be well > looked after as the school will want to do well on > ofsted etc. > My only issue is that if everyone gets offered a > place eventually as waiting lists move, will the > school actually open if it has, say, 30 instead of > the intended 60 kids? > This is something that really concerns me. Peggoula, I had an email from Jamie McFarland today to say that he is now operating a waiting list as they have had a flurry of applications since the LA offers came out last week. So not only will the school be going ahead, but it looks as though it will be pretty full after all. Phew!

Brilliant! I had an email from Jamie McFarland today to say that there wouldn't be a chance for the kids to see the (temporary) school before term begins but that there would be an induction event, but sounded as though this was an evening thing mainly for parents, so I'm glad that people would be keen to have a more informal day-time gathering for the kids. Laura HW, the powerpoint presentation from a couple of meetings ago is on the Harris Free School East Dulwich website. This meeting was presented by Sir Robin Bosher, who is the director of Harris Primary schools. It was his involvement that really got our interest in the new Harris school. He was Executive Head of Fairlawn and is now leading the primary inspection team for Ofsted. Yet I didn't get the impression he was all about ticking the Ofsted boxes - he seemed to have a really child-centred ethos to primary education and I got the impression that he wanted the children to do well without hothousing them. Since then, they've appointed a head teacher who was there at the meeting earlier this month. I was really impressed by his enthusiasm and I could imagine the kids really liking him. He said he took the job on the condition that he would be given the budget to recruit well qualified teachers and talked a lot about primary education being really important in laying the foundations for later learning. The staff ratio seems very good too - each class will have a teacher as well an early years practitioner, and in addition there will be one teaching assistant floating between the two. The whole team seem really committed to shaping the school around the needs of this particular cohort of children and as such seem very open to suggestions about what parents want, for example with wrap-around care. Harris as a federation seem very committed to working in partnership with parents and I personally like the fact that they send home reports every half term and, given that this is a new school and our children will be the only ones there, I get the sense that if I had concerns then they would definitely be listened to. I initially had some reservations about the children always being the eldest in the school, but I now think that the advantages of this initially small school environment will far outweigh the disadvantages in these very early years.

So we have taken the plunge and sent off our acceptance of a place at Harris East Dulwich. We have been really impressed by the staff and their ethos and I'm really excited about being part of this brand new school. I've noticed a few threads from other schools with information about welcome events, and felt a bit sad that we can't even show our children their school yet! So at the risk of sounding like a one-woman PTA, I wondered whether other parents would be interested in getting together for a picnic with the kids over the summer, so that they can meet each other and therefore see a few familiar faces on the first day? I'd be really happy to arrange something nearer the time, perhaps in Peckham Rye park as I guess that will be fairly central to most of us who are choosing Harris.

Hi Renata, will Harris continue to operate outside the common application process for the duration of this year's admissions process (ie up to 31st August)? Or will vacant spaces be passed back to Southwark admissions to fill at some stage? Thanks.

Peggoula, I've been worried about this too (see James Barber's schools admissions thread). But Harris have said that when they were costing the school in their business plan, they costed out their "worst case scenario" and demonstrated that it would be financially viable with a minimum of 30 children. Given that Southwark are taking into account the 60 places that Harris are offering, there will be fewer bulge classes opening in the area this year and so I reckon that they surely must be able to fill it. I would also think that the fact they have just apent ?5million on the police station, appointed a head and are recruiting class teachers will mean that they are committed to opening. Those people will be leaving their current posts ready to start in September so I would have thought that this would put Harris in a very tricky position if they decided they needed to defer. This is what I telling myself anyway!

mrs.lotte Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sounds like Harris primary is going to be a > blessing for lots of people, well done to those > who pressed for it (James Barber i think!) I completely agree, Mrs Lotte! Having not been offered any of our 6, we are very very relieved and grateful that there is the Harris option - and the more I think about it, the more positive I feel about it. I was always seriously considering it as one of my top two or three schools, but in some ways, now that the dilemma of choosing between Harris and our first choice school has been taken out of my hands, the more pleased I am! Brand new facilities, staff who will inevitability get to know our children really well, and hopefully a great community of families who all have a shared interest in making the school a success - I think there is a lot to feel excited about.

Thanks for responding re Harris, James. If that figure is correct, then that is reassuring. Apparently their business plan shows that, in the worst case scenario, it will still be financially viable with only 30 pupils on roll. Given the dire availability of schools in East Dulwich then I am sure they will easily fill it. Having met the staff involved, I am very positive that it will be an amazing opportunity for the lucky children who will be starting there in September, my son included.

James Barber Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Yesterday when I spoke with Harris they had > several places. Exactly. So there are not 60 families holding two offers, are there? Fewer than 60 families have offers, fewer still will be accepting them, as many will have had an alternative offer that they prefer. So my question to you again is, exactly how many families have been offered a place at Harris, and what is the minimum intake required to make it viable? I am well aware of the admissions process to Harris. I have an offer there and would like this information to help me decide whether or not to accept it. I have to say the lack of transparency about this is very off-putting. Harris have categorically said they are oversubscribed which cannot be the case. Thanks.

James, Can you find out exactly how many offers Harris have actually made please? And how many families they have on a waiting list (if any)? I know of someone who applied on Tuesday and was offered a place yesterday, and have not heard of anyone being turned down, which makes me suspect they are actually undersubscribed. If half the parents holding offers know turn them down in favour of their alternative offer, might we be in a situation where it is decided that the new school is not viable this year? How do Harris propose to fill the spare places - will they be handed back to Southwark to fill with families still needing to be allocated somewhere? I have been trying to contact Harris to ask the same but to no avail so far. Thanks.

They have recruited a head teacher and at the last meeting, earlier this month, were in process of recruiting class teaching staff. They are optimistic about moving to permanent site on time but can stay at Harris Girls as long as they need, apparently.

None of our 6 choices here either, despite also applying for our nearest schools. Makes a mockery of the "choices" and "preferences" nonsense peddled by the government, it feels. But thank GOODNESS for Harris, where we will be sending our son. Honoroaky, we knew we were in one of ED's dreaded black holes, and I know others who are holding a Harris offer but got their first choice from Southwark, so hopefully it's not the case that Southwark didn't make such an effort for Harris applicants. But if you go with Harris then be reassured that there will be at least one other family who really cares about getting behind the school and making it a success. I think there are a lot of positive about it, as an earlier poster has already suggested.

Yes, Pickle is right, places offered after assessments, which you apply for according to the schools' own deadlines, which seem to be Autumn or Jan for the schools we've looked at in the area. So I think the horror story of signing them up at birth is a myth! Though if they have a nursery attached, priority goes to their nursery children so they may have only have a small number of places when it comes to new children entering reception. The schools' websites usually outline the entry process and timetable for applications. Good luck with the move! East Dulwich is wonderful!

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Enjoy, that's really helpful, thank-you. So useful to hear from a parent already in the system!

We are currently thinking about whether we might be able to afford private education when my son starts school next year. While I absolutely do not want to cause a debate on the relative merits of private vs state education, I'd be really interested to know what extra costs we should realistically factor in, besides the fees themselves, uniforms, and obviously holiday childcare. Would we find ourselves feeling under constant pressure to pay for school trips, extracurricular activities, argh - even private tutors when they approach secondary school applications?? What sort of rough percentage of the fees do parents end up paying on top for things like this? The schools I am thinking about are Rosemead, Oakfield and then later on St Dunstans or Alleyns. Any experience people feel happy to share would be very gratefully received, either here or in a PM. My husband and I went to state schools so no first hand experience of this!

Great! See you there. Yep, playground over on the school side of the park. X

Sorry to be so late replying...but yes, great - let's meet up this Thursday at 3.30. Shall we meet in the playground at Peckham Rye park? Amber, I'll pm you my number. Louise and Jess, do join if you not quarantined/moving house! Anyone else very welcome to join, toddlers or no!

Hi, We can't make coffee this morning but yes, let's do a toddler meet-up! Friday afternoons are perfect for us normally but just happen to be busy for the next two. What about a Thursday afternoon either this week or next, at 3 / 3.30? Hope everyone has had a good week! Sorry not to see you today.

Oh poor little Lula! Glad she is better, and good to have it out of the way - hope Freddie doesn't suffer too much if he does succumb, Louise! We are planning to come along this morning so will see you there Amber. Also, I was wondering if anyone fancied meeting up with the older kids one day? I have William at home three days a week now and now it's getting easier to be out and about with two it might be nice to meet up at the park one morning for a run around. William is at nursery Mondays and Tuesdays. Hope you're on the mend Carine and that Leo is letting you get some rest!

Argh, we got desperate too... it was bribery that did it in the end. We started with one smartie per toe, but now we can get away with a smartie a foot. Fortunately he's fine with teeth-cleaning!

Hi all, just a quickie to say we can't make it this morning but looking forward to seeing you next week!

I have found exactly the same as Kristymac, that our north facing garden gets sun in different places at different times of day but there is also shade which is perfect for the children. And ours is a fair bit smaller at 40ft. Having lived with ours, a north facing garden would no longer put me off a property.

Sorry not to see you Kate. We will be there this morning. Anna, welcome - I think Lucas never became a regular thing but we do still met on a Monday morning so it would be lovely to meet you and your little one if you can make it one week!

How annoying about The Gardens! Bread of Life cafe on a Monday as an alternative venue sounds good to me. Can't make tomorrow as my toddler is at Diddi Dance (on your recommendation, Amber - we went last week and William LOVED it!) and Fridays don't work for me either so really looking forward to seeing everyone on Monday and catching up. Louise - hope all is going well with Freddie -looking forward to meeting him in due course!

I think that sounds like a great idea! I've found that once you get to 2yrs many groups and classes are aimed at younger babies so I would definitely be interested in coming along to a session geared specifically to older ones. The only question I have is would baby siblings be welcome? I have a newborn so looking for a group to take my toddler to where he will be occupied but I will be able to sit and breastfeed - Wednesday Cheeky C's sounds ideal.