tarafitness

Thank you for this. I rang them immediately and quoted our last reference number, so that they could link the two records. Unfortunately by the time they got to our street the guy had driven off again. I did say I'd videoed the truck going off, but the chap said they need to witness it themselves.

He's parked it on my road, the alarm is obviously going off. That man is a f**king menace!

Yeah, it's going off now :( so bloody loud! 10 hours now!

It is now 3am, and your incredibly loud car alarm has been going off for 7 hours. Life with a new baby is disruptive enough, without it being woken up even more frequently. Not impressed :-/ please fix your alarm.

So when we moved to the area many moons ago, I assumed that if we had kids, they would just go to our closest non-faith school - Goose Green Primary - which was at that point thought of quite favourably. Then we had kids, and our eldest is due to start reception next year, and I am totally stumped. I was put off by reports of Goose Green doing poorly in recent years, and thought our best bet was the consistently well performing Heber primary. I then heard good things about the new Harris school and figured I'd end up putting that at the top of our list. I almost completely discounted Goose Green, being impressed by Harris' slick website and just how new and lovely it all seemed, but thought I should pop along anyway, just to give myself a rounded view of what's on offer. Well, I'm glad I did visit! I was completely unprepared for how much I actually liked the school. The new head, Simon Wattam is very likeable and impressive, and seems to have a great track record, having been co-head at the excellent John Donne primary school for 10 years. He is clearly going to be offering stability to a school that has no doubt suffered as a result of having something like 4 heads in the past 4 years?? The school is also now part of the Communitas Trust, sharing things like information, support and best practices. So that's a real positive development. The school has a nice feel to it, the children and staff look happy and lively in the early years rooms. I liked the reception setup with the freeflow between the inside and outside, and also within the two classes: small group work seems to span both too, so both sets of teachers get to know all the children in the year. The art and music building - and specialist teachers for both - were also very appealing, and the playground is a good size with a great climbing frame. It was also a nice touch to have refreshments afterwards, and the chance to talk to leadership team staff, as well as PTA members too, who were able to offer a friendly and candid viewpoint on their own experiences as parents with pupils there over the past few years. That was all very positive. Less positive is the fact that it's on a main road, but apparently there is going to be a living ivy 'Green Screen' installed in the spring, to filter out exhaust emissions. I was also put off by the fact that we were only shown the reception and nursery rooms. It made me wonder if they felt there was something to hide? All other schools we viewed (with the exception of the Belham, as It's multi site) conducted a tour of the whole building. I recently went back to Goose Green with my partner, and requested that we view the rest of the school. The head said he hadn't suggested it before, because he thought we'd only been I interested in seeing the early years classes. I wanted to see if they had a nice library, like Heber does. They do, it's lovely, just unfortunately not open during lunch and break, though apparently this will change too (which is good as the library was one of the favourite hangouts in school, of a year six Heber schoolgirl who showed us round). They also have an impressive looking ICT room, and the hallway walls are adorned in colourful artwork. One of the halls was done up with vines like a rainforest, and two classrooms we went past resembled caves from a recent project. There is clearly a strong creative streak running through the school. The steel pan band sounded great! You'd have thought the class teachers and students had actually been primed for our visit, there was a real air of calm but also enthusiastic learning, and lots of engagement between teachers and pupils. So why weren't prospective parents shown round before? It seems a real oversight, and such a shame too. It's like Goose Green doesn't want to attract new parents!! The prospectus was due to appear on the website last month and hasn't materialised, and I'm sure most parents have made up their minds by now, with the deadline being in a few weeks? I don't understand why Goose Green isn't selling itself better? It seems like the school has had a rough patch but there is so much going for it now. Maybe they're just hoping for a year of calm bedding-in before they blow their own trumpet? It's left us in a bit of a quandary. Do we take a leap of faith with Goose Green, and hope that it really is turning its fortunes round, and that the new head can deliver. It's only key stage 2 that they've fallen behind in recent times, so it could be that by the time the new early years have ascended the ranks, it'll be back up there again as it once was? Or do we select Heber as our first choice, with its proven track record, lovely happy looking children, but in a building that's seen better days and could do with some serious love/money spent on it. There didn't feel the same buzz in classrooms as at Goose Green, and I wasn't able to ask any of the multitude of questions I want answered, because it was a couple of year 6 children showing us around. We'll well out of catchment for Goodrich, as well as The Belham (very sad as I was really impressed with their vision and ethos), and Harris just left me a little cold. It doesn't feel the most nurturing environment. It felt like an office block, with very little outside space . I'm not particularly interested in my young son having perfect cursive writing, being able to tie a real tie and learn how to play the violin (which is mandatory, every child will get one). Children start school far too early in this country, especially compared with the rest of Europe, I want to know that his happiness is being catered for. I have also heard that Harris (on the whole, not necessarily this school) don't have a great track record with their staff, and I want to know my son's teacher's wellbeing is also being taken into account. We're going back to Heber in a few weeks, to be taken round by someone from leadership team. So I'll get to ask all my questions, and I'm really hoping that I'll fall in love with the school then, and make my life a whole lot easier. Much better to bank on a safe bet, right?! :) I'd welcome any thoughts from parents of kids at either Heber or Goose Green. Thanks, Tara.

Is this going to be on the site where the dilapidated children's climbing frame was? If so, I guess that explains why they didn't replace it and just left that area grassed over? The rest of the garden is stunning now!

helpful piece by a paediatric urologist on potty training :)

I've been using Stikins for the past 2.5 years, they really do stay stuck! I attach them to my son's clothes labels, and inside his shoes. Plus you can peel them off and reuse them. Very handy :)

I didn't witness it though? As I said in my original message, I was in the vet with my own cat when the kind hearted chap brought the poor cat in.

Sorry I haven't been back to this thread in a few days. I was at the vet when the cat was brought in, so don't have any information other than what I relayed in my original message. I'm not sure if the vet would contact the police as a matter of course? I hope the cat's owner has been located and it pulled through. From the sounds of it, there was spinal damage and subsequent paralysis, so it didn't sound good :'( As a cat owner myself, I found the whole thing very upsetting.

Fabulous idea for a book :-) We have parakeets in our gardens too, also in Goose Green and Peckham Rye Park... noisy skwarky things, but a stunning shade of green.

Very sad to report that I witnessed a good samaritan bringing in a critically injured cat that had been set upon by two dogs, while the owner(s) apparently stood by and did nothing. The cat is a tabby neutered un-microchipped male, and is being cared for at the Neighbourhood Vet on lordship lane.

Excellent news, and so well deserved. It's almost a joy to go card shopping there, as you know you're always going to find something beautiful and unique... Or silly and a bit rude... Depending on your mood/the occasion :)

I noticed this the other day when in the playground, it looks absolutely beautiful, thank you for planting them!

The Phoenix in Denmark Hill, is a good example of an M&B pub done well. My interpretation of 'well', anyway. It's just a little too far away for it to be our local, but we've visited many times for lunch (if you join their newsletter, they often have great food deals on), and always found the food to be lovely, the staff very friendly and helpful, the decor really appealing, and the place clean and well maintained. This is in contrast to its cousin down the road - The Plough which seems to be of a much lower standard all round - despite having an identical website ;-)

baby jogger makes excellent buggies (except the two-way facing umbrella fold Vue, but they didn't bother changing the design of it when they acquired it off NJoy :-( ) We have the baby jogger city mini GT, it's a really excellent pushchair. The big wheels make it incredibly easy to push and it doesn't get caught on high kerbs etc. It's also a great size, so that my 3.5 year old doesn't look particularly large in it. The only issue I had with it is the inability to parent face (hence why we bought the inferior Vue), but if you have an older child, that might not be an issue to you? The city mini GT is a three wheeler, not sure if that's a plus or minus for you, but it's incredibly easy to steer. We've bought a cheaper two-way facing buggy (Graco Evo) to tide us over from when this baby-to-be outgrows the baby jogger bassinet, to when they're ready to forward face again in the baby jogger.

I've completed the online form, for all the good it will do. It asked how I'd like to be contacted, but didn't give me the opportunity to leave any details. Seems an exercise in futility. I think it's absolutely disgraceful the way they're trying to sneak this through. I work in Victoria, so I'm going to be hugely affected by this, but what about all the people who rely on this service to get to King's College Hospital??

3 is a really tricky age, as they're becoming more independent, but are still very young children who lack impulse and emotion control and struggle with things like decision making. I really thought we'd got off lightly, as the terrible twos were not that bad at all... but then he turned 3 and I was like "whoa... who are you, and what have you done with my son?!". There was so much rage and unreasonableness, quite alarming at times. Thankfully we're over the angry hitty phase (it seems), but I'm also aware that one phase undoubtedly leads into another :-) I've really found that sites like Aha! Parenting help me. Dr Laura Markham has lots of great advice. I also like some of Janet Lansbury's articles too. Also, books by Dr Dan Siegel, who is an internationally-renowned neuropsychiatrist and author of books like No-Drama Discipline: the whole-brain way to calm the chaos and nurture your child?s developing mind (Mindful Parenting) , and The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Proven Strategies to Nurture Your Child?s Developing Mind. I've also heard good things about How To Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7 and The Gentle Discipline Book: How to raise co-operative, polite and helpful children and ToddlerCalm: A guide for calmer toddlers and happier parents both by Sarah Ockwell-Smith.

I would definitely drop the nap, we had to do this with my son when he was just over two years old. Otherwise, he wouldn't fall asleep until close to 10pm! Our bedtime routine goes like this: Dinner Toilet visit (he's very regular and usually 'goes' just after eating) PJs Teeth 2 stories Bed I/my partner sits with him until he falls asleep. He's only 3.5, and still needs that closeness. It won't be forever. We don't have any TV in the evenings. Watching bright images on screens activates their minds, they often go to bed thinking about what they've seen. Maybe a screen-free wind-down before bed might help? He doesn't have any milk. Never took a bottle, and hasn't been particularly keen on any form of milk since he stopped breastfeeding late last year. I do make sure he drinks plenty of water before bed though, as he often wakes up thirsty otherwise! Good luck :-)

we used dub dub and away - located opposite Rye Books. you might struggle to hire in Summer... but I'd give them a call and ask :)

Oh dear... :-/ "A bit of a rant about the newly opened Crown and Greyhound in Dulwich village I'm afraid! Eagerly awaited the opening and was willing it to be good but sadly disappointed after a late Sunday lunch today. Such a great space / refrurb but they need the staff to back it up. If I had to put my finger on the one thing that made this disappointing it wasn't the lack of choice - only beef or lamb left. No starters. First and second wine choice sold out. Had to move tables three times after being told different things re reserved tables and then one minute kitchen had to close as couldn't cope and then next it opened. I could live with all of this as it's only week one but The one thing that bothered me was that not a single person working there cares. Not one bit. Young kids most unable to serve and clearly never waited a table before. A few of these new staff learning is fine but the entire place can't be left to these young guys and girls who floated around and looked confused when asked for e.g. Menu / a small glass / cutlery/ one scoop of vanilla ice-cream for a toddler -all of these requests where met with total bewilderment. When I politely said the beef was stringy, no eye contact as I paid and a mumbled sorry about that. Deputy manager also doesn't seem to care whether people happy or not! Willing it to get better as it's nice to have the pub back in the village." "We had an incident with a very rude staff member last Saturday. I actually had to email to complain afterwards (wasn't possible at the time for various reasons) I've not received a response, so sadly this resonates with me. It's my local pub so I am really disappointed all round about it. I hear the half moon in Herne Hill has had much better reviews..."