JAJ

Double nursery fees are an absolute killer. What I would say is that whether you decide to give up work or not (and it sounds like your mind is already made up!), it get's so much easier once they are all in school. I've seen so many parents 'burn out' by keeping up the same pace career wise as before, only to go completely the other way and throw in the towel later down the line. It will get better, whatever you decide, and good luck with your decision.

Good luck with it all, I'm sure he'll be fine. My son is in year 2 and he didn't know anyone when he started. It took him a few weeks to feel comfortable but he's since loved every minute of it - I do though think it really helps if they have a familiar face when they start. He's never once said school was just 'okay' or 'boring' (and neither has my daughter), although there's plenty of time for that - I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

Hi Milly, I have a friend whose son starts reception at Cabrini in September - he is already in the nursery there and has a few pals starting, so it could be a great way to network yourself in! Her little boy is lovely and they sound like a nice group of kids starting. I also have a neighbour whose daughter starts in September (she is also currently in the nursery there). I'll have a word and am sure one of them will be in touch. They are lovely classes with great teachers - my daughter is in the current reception and loves it. She is however badgering me for a pet rabbit because she's so obsessed with the school rabbits. They also have a huge allotment and lawned area where the whole school had a picnic on Friday - maybe that might help with the big school 'sell in'!

Please don't remove your post. It's clearly something you are very passionate about,and I realise your intentions are good. But I can't help but raise my eyebrows at a thread about a particular school beginning with 10 lines about another one. And then for your comment which I picked up on in relation to multiculturalism to then be edited retrospectively. I welcome lively debate - your comments didn't cause offence and don't warrant editing. But it did warrant a retort.

Well Clicka, I see that the comment which I picked up on yesterday on your 'multicultural' point in relation to Cabrini has today being edited out, along with other several other changes. It's great that you have such loyalty to your school and your kids have been happy there. I just think it's a shame when you have to drag other schools into the equation in the process.

Really pleased it has worked out for you - all schools have staffing issues and I'm sure things will settle down. Completely understand why you felt Francesca Cabrini wasn't for you. But as a (non Catholic) parent there, I feel duty bound to stand up for them on the multicultural point (since the school has been mentioned). The school couldn't really be more diverse. In my sons class there are kids off Scottish, Polish, Chinease, English, African and Spanish descent and my daughters reception class is similarly eclectic. Realise faith schools arn't for everyone. But overall we've personally been pleased with it, particularly the outdoor space. And our kids have been very happy and secure there. They have an alotment, fruit alley and full time gardener who works with the kids. There are chickens and rabbits, which the kids get lots of interaction with. There's a competition this week for the kids to find a name for the new rabbits. And the chickens eggs are collected up by the kids and served up at breakfast club. It's really not that bad!

Just checked with the 'someone'. Bosher is at Ofsted now - it's on public record. I'm sure Fairlawn is still a great school. I know lots of parents there and like most schools, some are happy and some are not. They have had a lot of change and a lot of new teachers, but the impression I get is that things have calmed down and are smoothing over.

Someone told me yesterday that Bosher has now stood down from Harris - no idea whether it's true...

I can only comment on our own experience, but I see teaching that very much encourages children to think for themselves. Faith wise our son seems more than capable of keeping a critical distance and we obviously have discussions at home. While I completely understands faith schools arn't everyone's bag, I find there's much more navel gazing about it in London - back home everyone goes to the local cofe regardless and no one gives it a second thought!

Hi, My daughter is starting there in September, and we are non Catholics (although I went to a cofe school). My son is in year 1 - we applied to Cabrini after we failed to get any school places locally - we are about 200 meters away from the school but never thought to put it down originally. My son is really happy there (hence the decision to send our daughter there). The teaching is excellent, but more importantly, they have huge amounts of fun (this is the one thing that I was most concerned about before he started). There are several non catholics in My sons year, and nearly all of them have stayed at the school, even after receiving waiting list offers elsewhere. The new reception classes are stunning, there's really good outside space too. Examples of things they did in reception include bringing in your teddies for a teddybears picnick, going in dressed in patterned clothes to tie in with an alan aldberg book, cartoon animators coming in to turn their artwork and poems into cartoons, trips to one tree hill studying nature, and horniman museum trips. In year 1, they have been doing drama workshops and have been getting additional sports coaching with a company who specialise in multisports. So far, the faith element has washed over him but in any case it's a nice ethos. I really wouldn't worry about fitting in.

Hi All, We live in a black hole in honor oak and didn't get any of our 6 choices when our son started reception 2 years ago - we were sent miles away. We ended up applying to Francesca Cabrini retrospectively, because it's just up the road from us, and got in on the waiting list (it hadn't originally occured to us to put it down). We're not Catholics, and I realise that faith schools arn't everyones bag. But all I can say is that he's thrived there, and absolutely loves school - the faith element seems to have completely washed over him to date! Our daughter will be starting reception there in September. There are several non Catholics in my sons year (although realise this dynamic might change with the new Harris school). The newly refurbished reception space is lovely too. Despite many assurances from friends that a waiting list place would come up for our son at our chosen school, none have so far ever materialised, except for a school which is a good half hour walk away which we chose to decline having received the offer from Cabrini. As it stands, we've chosen to send our daughter to Cabrini this September - here's hoping she's as happy as he is!