Primary Schools in East Dulwich

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

My kids go there Clare. Its suffered because of a tired, outdated leadership who would turn a blind eye to anything that made their last few years challenging. Most parents I know were dancing for joy when P.A recently resigned. It underperforms in relation to intake and results which the last ofsted indicated.

[sillywoman]

Ah, so Goodrich info not'utter rubbish' and actually quite helpful!

Mine go/ have been to DV infants and juniors too (definitely non churchgoers - though do have a neighbour who'se attended St Barnabus once a fortnight for two years. They kept a list of dates they attended as proof and often only went into the creche as it's child attendance that counts toward school 'church place'. Little boy got a place this autumn. Feel odd about it but I guess it's a system and all systems can be exploited if you've a mind to?) Mine've mostly been happy though both schools let down son with dyslexic/dyspraxic special needs very badly. (Infants pushed him too hard against our wishes and have given him a mental block on reading that even 4 years later is proving hard to shift, Hamlet did nothing 'til we stamped our foot big time last year) Both have recently undergone a change in the special needs staff co-ordinator and seem to have improved.

DKH sounds lovely and has a really good after school club (why none at DVI or DHJS - too many nannies so no need maybe?)and a nursery. Choose carefully because once your hooked into a school community it's hard to extract yourself/ child without upset.

[clare]

My kids also go to Goodrich, have done very well there and are extemely happy.

They also take in a lot of children with special needs who do very well there.

Your remark about the teachers was inaccurate and rather offensive.

Look at the results for the last 3 years since ofsted- they are excellent.

A school is a lot more than its Sats results.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

I think Goodrich is a brilliant school, and the new Head seems very forward thinking too. My daughter only joined them in February and has made huge progress, after spending her earlier years at a crap school in SE1. She had started to hate school until she went to Goodrich, and now she loves it. Not sure what you guys want from a school, but enjoyment of learning is pretty much top of my list of priorities along with good sports facilities and lots of space to run around.

As for St Anthony's, they won't take any child that has not been baptised Catholic, and as a member of the Church of England I am not prepared to change my daughter's faith to get her into a school. I bet they wouldn't refuse council tax contributions from non-catholics though which is what I think is disgusting.

[Scruffy Mummy]

I've heard good things about Goose Green Primary (which I've said before on this forum - forgive me for sounding like a broken record!) from a friend whose 10 year old has been going there since she started school. The school was in a terrible state 10 years ago but since being a Fresh Start school has come on in leaps and bounds with a new head teacher (Stuart May) who is still there who basically got a whole new staff team - latest school results put in on par with other primary schools in the area. It also seems to have a good arts program. I also heard from a friend of my partner who is a supply teacher in the area that it's a good school. What I've heard from both contacts independently is that they are incredibly strict when it comes to bullying - they really come down on it. For me, that's one of the most important things when looking at schools - how they deal with bullying.

[bawdy-nan]

Interesting thing about this thread is that most parents seem extremely loyal to and pleased with the school their children attend which is fantastic. It probably means that there's not a ropey one amongst them. My daughter goes to Heber and I'm very pleased with it. There's a new reception teacher and the "manager" of the reception and year 1 is charismatic and committed. Hurrah for us. Shame about the secondary school provision really but perhaps that'll shift.

[lozzyloz]

I dont think there's ever been a moment in the history of education when the subject of quality, access and provision of schools wasn't an issue. It's a little like shifting sands since a lot comes down to the management of the school and how standards are being implemented. Then of course there's always peoples perceptions which may or may not coincide with the facts. My experience in the ED and surrounding area has been that generally nursery and primary education is of a good standard. To me the issue is the quality (or lack) of state secondary education in the area and the facilities they have which seem far inferior to the fee paying (charity registered) schools saturating the area. I'm not a big supporter of private education but have felt in the past that there was no other good local alternatives. I hear FH Boys has improved lately but for how long? When the rest of my brood come of age am I going to be facing the same predicament?

[poindexter]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "As a reference to the Felix the Cat character,

> the term "Poindexter" is now applied to people who

> are overly nerdy, geeky, or bookish." Wikipedia

>

> Dear Poinsettia

>

> Your cynicism does you no credit. How do churches

> make their money from children going to a church

> school? Please tell cos I work for a church and

> this sounds like a great scam. We must have a

> belfry or something that needs your funds (cheques

> made to Peckhamgatecrasher/Barbados Fund please).

I find it strange that you have been so rude. I was refering to the donations that people give at services which pay wages etc within the church.

I was merely questioning the use of some language used in previous posts and also find it strange that you should have included a reference to being overly bookish and nerdy. Yes, I may be. What of it?

Why have you chosen to call me Poinsettia?

Asset- Is it not also hypocritical to send ones child to a Church school (where they presumably espouse Christian beliefs) without also being a believer?

[chuff]

I agree with you about the bullying thing scruffy mummy. I don't know very much about Goose Green Primary but I know their nursery is very sought after and oversubscribed.

I wouldn't want to send my kids to st Anthony's unless we were catholic anyway. I would prefer a non-church school but dvis is our nearest and we are happy with it.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Lovely Poindexter

I humbly apologise. [Must not post after drinking too much red wine].

PG

[chuff]

I too am worried about the secondary school situation, we have charter very close but it gets very mixed reviews, kingsdale is the other close school and as much as the facilities have been hyped I just don't think I could send my kids to a school that needs security at the gates.

chuff

[Asset]

Not really, as I have not been a hypocrite in saying I am a religious person when I'm not. The school in question was by far and away the closest school to where I lived.

In my opinion the Church of England is about as much of a 'non-religion' as religions get anyway.

Apart from a bit of Christmas Carolling and Easter service, to which I have absolutely no objections, that is as far as the 'religious' aspect of the school goes. In fact the RE classes also took in learning about other religions.

If I sent my child to a RC school or an Islamic school that would be different as those religions tend towards having doctrines that have to be adhered to. That would be hypocritical if I had no intention of adhering to them.

I have no interest in getting into a theological dicussion as that has already been done on here.

[Mrs Y]

Sillywoman, I'd read between the lines of DPFairy's remarks there seems to be underlying problems there. I completly agree with Claire and Chav/Law.

Oggers, Goodrich is a good school and like most things you get out what you put in. Which is part of the reason why it has such a solid parent base. Support, not back stabbing sneers aimed at people who over the years have given their all to teach, help, support, guide and above all give a good grouding to hundreds, no thousands of children, who as I can testify still return to pay a visit, born out of respect and appreciation for a caring, effective set of teachers and staff whom without would be a much worse place now, if indeed it would even still exist.

DPF be thankful for what you have, don't waste it, and let's see where it is in another twenty years.

Mr Y.

[sillywoman]

Chuff, I was anxious about Charter too but when I reviewed the 'mixed reviews' I'd got I quickly realised that the negative ones were all from people who sent/ were sending their kids to private schools i.e with a vested interest in kidding themselves that they weren't wasting their money. Our eldest started this september and so far so very, very good.

[chuff]

Sillywoman, glad to hear it's going well at Charter.

I have actually heard some very good reports over the past few days from people around the area. Seems like it is becoming more popular with the 'locals'. Not sure if this is good or bad!

would be good to hear from you as the year progresses and get some more feedback for the future.

chuff

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

Sillywoman, I'd read between the lines of DPFairy's remarks there seems to be underlying problems there. I completly agree with Claire and Chav/Law.

Oggers, Goodrich is a good school and like most things you get out what you put in. Which is part of the reason why it has such a solid parent base. Support, not back stabbing sneers aimed at people who over the years have given their all to teach, help, support, guide and above all give a good grouding to hundreds, no thousands of children, who as I can testify still return to pay a visit, born out of respect and appreciation for a caring, effective set of teachers and staff whom without would be a much worse place now, if indeed it would even still exist.

DPF be thankful for what you have, don't waste it, and let's see where it is in another twenty years.

Actually there are very few parents who do as much for the school as we do, very few. Doesn't mean I can't have serious reservations about aspects of the way it is run, reservations that are shared by many parents, oddly enough normally those who work closest with the school (refer to school governer reference ). Anyway, you sound like staff.

[Nero]

Chav,

You have pointed out one of the hypocrisies of faith schooling. It should be phased out over the next fifteen to twenty years. If faith is important to a parent, that parent should instil it in their offspring at home. Why would God want a parent to pretend they believe in him to get a school place?

To keep it on topic, I also heard that Goodrich had been resting on its laurels to an extent and that the new head is dynamic and positive. Nero

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

DPF be thankful for what you have, don't waste it, and let's see where it is in another twenty years.

Been pondering this part, are you a bit mad? It doesn't make sense.

[Mrs Y]

I wondered if I would need to explain anything as your grasp on reality seems to have slipped. Anyway I won't enter into further dispute as everyone is entitled to their opinion and I do not intend to alter yours merely to say, the comment simply means that Goodrich for very many years has been treated by Southwark as a flagship for the area's schools and used as a benchmark to measure other schools by. That does'nt happen by chance and your glib throwaway comments regarding past members of staff are totally uncalled for and grossly mistaken. I believe you are fairly new to the area and perhaps you should do your homework before making such pathetic and upsetting comments. You have a good school don't ruin it.

And no, I am not and never have been a mamber of staff, I just happen to know and have worked with a lot of them, past and present and could'nt let your comments go unanswered.

Goodbye.

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

Maybe we should rename this thread "just say nice things about schools or otherwise get accused of anything ranging from; vindictiveness, not living in the area for very long, not having any involvement with the school, not being able to give an opinion, lack of gratitude, being unhelpful??, an etc etc". Unfortunately this kind of defensiveness is matched by the school, which is why I assumed Miss Y was staff, and not just a little bit crazy.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

Nero - Religious hypocrites have their own reasons and consiences to deal with, so I'm not really bothered about that. What really upsets me is that our Council Tax is paying for a school who are allowed to refuse to admit our kids because they only take catholics, even if it's the closest school. They should not take our money if they won't take our kids.

I went to a Catholic school when I was abou 9-10 because my mum is a Catholic and the other schools in the area where not great and they are a bit too cultish for my liking anyway, but it's the principle

[poindexter]

I really dont understand these rather pathetic arguments about religious hypocracy. Most Cof E schools ask for church attendance not belief in God. Theres a big difference. If by attending church you are given preference then I would recommend going, if that is the school you would prefer your child to go to. Most vicars I know have different ideas about God and certainly dont expect their entire congretation to have the same beliefs as they do.The Cof E is very much part of the English tribal identity and I dont see that as a bad thing. I look forward to many insults now.

I should also like to add, for the benefit of the OP that East Dulwich is very good for primary schools, Heber and Goodrich are very well liked BUT the secondary schools are a problem. The Charter is currently very good but if you are unlucky enough not to get a place then you're pretty stuck unless you can pay.

[Alan Dale]

I went to a C of E primary but I don't remember the assembly where they said 'believe what you want but just make sure you go to church'.

[Jah Lush]

I went to Dulwich Hamlet C of E Infants and the Junior school in Dulwich Village. Neither of my parents were churchgoers and my dad was an atheist. I probably got in there because I was local and not from a family of happy clappers.

[poindexter]

Forgive me Alan but what on Earth are you talking about? What you are implying is that the children themselves should be Christian in order to attend the school. Most strange as most under 10s dont have many informed opinions on religion and nor should they. Check the admission procedure for all Cof E schools. They ask for Church attendance not belief!