Jump to content

Recommended Posts

The Haberdashers Aske Free School has been approved and is due to open September 2013. This year you need to apply directly to Haberdashers as it hasn't yet been intergrated into the system. This means that you can apply to this primary and 6 other ones on your CAF form.

Renata

Thank you very much for getting back to me, Renata. I also phoned the school today and asked about looking round/how to apply and they didn't seem to be very sure about what was happening yet, though they took my name and details. They mentioned their Temple Grove (old Monson school) primary but that is too far away from me. It's quite interesting having all these 3-18 schools starting in the state sector- I think I read somewhere that Dunraven in Lambeth is thinking of opening a primary school too. And I met a nice woman in my GP surgery whose wee boy was just starting at the new Harris Primary at Peckham Academy.

Skegness - apparently HA are having open days at Pepys Road site on: Wed 14 Nov 9-10, Thur 29 Nov 2-3 and Thur 10 Jan.


(this is according to my wife, I couldnt see on their website where they got the info from). There's still a risk they won't get funding, as I understand it, so worth looking at other schools as well.

Thanks, njc97. I am a bit confused because HA have so many bits to their school now and practically all of them are operating out of the Pepys Road site at the moment! There is the upper half of the secondary school, the lower half of the existing Temple Grove primary phase (temporarily because their usual site in Camplin Road has burned down), and now the proposed new Free primary school as well. The Free school is the only one we'd stand some chance of getting into based on distance door to door to Pepys Road- we're definitely too far away from Camplin Road. I'm not sure if the advertised open days are for the primary that will be moving back to Camplin Road or for the Free school, iyswim. Or maybe they are combining both?


Anyway, I will definitely be looking at other schools too. Even if the Free school is opening there isn't any guarantee we'd get a place or even that we'd want it as a first choice- HA is rather untested on primary education, after all. My elder children went to Hollydale (our nearest) and on the whole we were very pleased with it and it will most probably be our first choice for our youngest too. Edmund Waller and John Stainer both sound nice as well and I'm planning to visit both, though the catchment for JS is microscopic! Ivydale is also very popular with parents round here but likely to be massively oversubscribed due to a recent bulge class meaning that siblings will fill many of the available places, so I might give that one a miss as it's not quite as close to us. I feel a bit guilty even considering a free school, to be honest, but the stress of secondary school applications is very fresh in my mind and I just cannot deny how tempting it is to choose a school that would allow us to bypass potential secondary transfer trauma in the future!


Where is everyone else thinking of visiting/applying?

I have a question. We're a way off this but as things stand, we are in a black hole between schools and have a real risk of being sent across Southwark. Do kids in this position tend to get places closer to home quite quickly? Also, we are completely opposed to faith schools and will not be naming one in our six, even though one is within the closest six. If allocated one anyway, can we turn it down on the grounds that we do not want our child educated in this way? I would have thought ECHR principles come into play?

There is a lot of movement after the initial offers of places. People move in and out of area, change their mind, choose a private school instead etc etc. Most people eventually end up with a place at a school where they are more or less satisfied to send their child. Some start off quite unhappy with the allocated school but are pleasantly surprised. Re being offered a faith school, yes, it can happen and yes, you can turn it down. BUT BUT BUT and BUT again, before you turn down whatever school you're offered, you need to ask yourself "is this really better than NO school at all?" and be able to answer honestly "yes", just in case that is your only and final offer. The usual advice is to accept the place for the moment and join the waiting lists for the schools you like more. If you really are not prepared to send your child to the offered school and you don't get any further offers you need to have some other education plan in place such as home education or private schooling.


I sympathise on the faith school thing- I would not want to send my child to a faith school either, as an atheist. Also faith schools that are not oversubscribed are usually shite. But I seriously doubt being offered a place at a faith school would reach the legal threshold of breaching your human rights, tbh. Do you think it would be cruel and degrading or something?! Or were you thinking of article 8? That's a qualified right, I think, and the threshold is quite high- v unlikely to apply in this situation. But you never know!


Being a parent in London (and particularly Southwark where there is a shortage of school places, a plethora of academies and free schools and where the local authority's role in education becomes weaker by the hour) requires quite a bit of compromise on education, I fear, if like most people you need or want to use state schools. It's rubbish but that's the reality. Atheists end up at church schools, people who are desperate for a proper local comp end up sending their kids miles away to academies run by meglomaniacs and carpet salesmen, parents who would prefer mixed settings end up with children in in single sex schools etc. There are some good primary schools that few middle class people will touch with a bargepole and a few middle class ghetto type schools situated in pockets of privilege with tiny catchments. You just have to find the least worst option, if none of the available options fit in with your world view. The only good thing (and it is a very, very good thing) is that the vast majority of children I know attending state schools in the local area seem settled and happy and to be making good academic progess.

I was thinking Article 9 actually-freedom of religion or belief. I'm surprised that the LA are not obliged to offer you another school if you have a fundamental objection to the faith teaching at a school. It beggars belief that so much public money subsidises schools that can reject children on the basis of religion and who teach questionable religious theory. I'm all for the teaching of comparative religion and multiculturalism but I won't have my child indoctrinated.


Most of our applications will be Lewisham as we are closer to them than most Southwark schools. I would be thrilled for my daughter to attend any of the primaries nearby other than the faith schools. But as you say, what I would really like to avoid is a bugger of a journey to an indifferent school.

simonthebeaver - are you aware that under the National Curriculum all community schools are required by law to hold 'acts of collective worship', that these must be wholly or mainly Christian, and that Christianity must be taught as RE? http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storyCode=6019874


But it is widely interpreted / flouted by schools.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jun/24/schools-not-teaching-religious-studies http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14794472

Yes, totally aware. I actually studied RE to a high(ish) level too, despite being an atheist. My experience of non-faith primaries is that the act of collective worship is often used to teach comparative religion and culture, and I'm happy with that. What I disagree with is schools that do NOT teach religion as culture but instead dictate one belief as 'the truth'. I also think no state-funded school should be able to reject children on faith grounds.

There's a big difference between studying RE as an academic subject, learning about the religions that have shaped philosophy, art, literature, and an understanding of which can contribute to diversity and social cohesion, and conducting acts of worship - actually practicing the religion - in educational school time.


People can practise religion in their own way at home and in their place of worship. What is it's place in a state finded community school?


Learning about religions is inclusive. An act of Christian worship in a multicultural school is potentially divisive.

I'm not even opposed to faith-based schools receiving state funding. Some parents want a religious or alternative, or spiritual upbringing for the their children, including formal schooling. That's fine. We're all different, we all want different things. But the legislation the way it is appears to suggest that non-faith schools must also enforce worship. And that's the bit I find confusing and disturbing.

But Saffron, state funding for faith schools reduces the school places available for everyone, surely? For us, for example, it means two of our six closest schools are not possibles for us. The schools select their pupils from faith groups, so children outside that faith are excluded from education. Religion should fund its own schools.


I was at an assembly at a local primary yesterday. (I have a child at the school-I'm not a weirdo!). It was based on the theme of friendship. The kids sang some songs, including a round of Sweet Chariot. Other assemblies have included Chinese New Year, poetry, Eid and the circus. I think 'collective worship' is interpreted pretty widely. In an ideal world, the requirement wouldn't exist but I think most schools take a comparative approach.

Skegness - I think they must be combining the open days, but it was my wife who told me about it. I think you (we) get to visit the current temporary Temple Grove set-up to see what the new free school will be like (as it's the same philosophy etc and also the the free school will be in those temporary class rooms to begin with).


As you say, it'll take some of the worry out of seconday applications. But it's a new school, so they'll be bound to be teething problems and I dont know about my son being the oldest year throughout. We'll also be visiting Hollydale and Edmund Waller to consider them and maybe John Stainer for interest. There's another bugle class as JS this year, together with the free school opening might make their catchment area a bit more reasonable.

Skegness, sorry more news. Apparently the new free school is having "information sessions" on 26 Novemeber at 5 to6 and 6 to 7, plus a further date in January. Letters setting this out on the way to everyone now....


PS sorry to everyone else for this re-appearing at the top of the threadlist

  • 2 weeks later...
Thanks very much, njc97. Really appreciate you posting to let me know. I've booked onto the 26th November evening. We must live v close as those are the 4 schools we're visiting too! Maybe see you there. I know children at all 3 of the "existing" primaries and they are all thriving and happy, btw.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • The issue must be everywhere at the moment. I was visiting a friend last week in Bermondsey, think we were walking  down Linton Rd & we dodged 7 dog poos. It was disgusting. 
    • Thanks for your message — I actually took the time to look into what CityHive does before posting my original comment, and I’d encourage anyone with questions to do the same. Yes, the Companies House filings are overdue — but from what I’ve gathered, this seems likely to be an accountant or admin issue, not some sign of ill intent. A lot of small, community-based organisations face challenges keeping up with formalities, especially when they’re focused on immediate needs like food distribution. Let’s not forget CityHive is a not-for-profit, volunteer-powered CIC — not a corporate machine. As for the directors, people stepping down or being replaced is often about capacity or commitment — which is completely normal in the voluntary and community sector. New directors are sometimes appointed when others can no longer give the time. It doesn’t automatically mean bad governance — it just means people’s circumstances change. CityHive’s actual work speaks volumes. They buy most of the food they distribute — fresh produce, essential groceries, and shelf-stable items — and then deliver it to food banks, soup kitchens, and community projects across London. The food doesn’t stay with CityHive — it goes out to local food hubs, and from there, directly to people who need it most. And while yes, there may be a few paid staff handling logistics or admin, there’s a huge volunteer effort behind the scenes that often goes unseen. Regular people giving their time to drive vans, sort donations, load pallets, pack food parcels — that’s what keeps things running. And when people don’t volunteer? Those same tasks still need to be done — which means they have to be paid for. Otherwise, the whole thing grinds to a halt. As the need grows, organisations like CityHive will inevitably need more support — both in people and funding. But the bigger issue here isn’t one small CIC trying to make ends meet. The real issue is the society we live in — and a government that isn’t playing its part in eradicating poverty. If it were, organisations like CityHive, The Felix Project, City Harvest, FareShare, and the Trussell Trust wouldn’t need to exist, let alone be thriving. They thrive because the need is growing. That’s not a reflection on them — it’s a reflection on a broken system that allows people to go hungry in one of the richest cities in the world. If you're in doubt about what they’re doing, go check their Instagram: @cityhivemedia. You’ll see the real organisations and people receiving food, sharing thanks, and showing how far the impact reaches. Even Southwark Foodbank has received food from CityHive — that alone should speak volumes. So again — how does any of this harm you personally? Why spend time trying to discredit a group trying to support those who are falling through the cracks? We need more people lifting others up — not adding weight to those already carrying the load.
    • Well, this is very disappointing. Malabar Feast  has changed its menu again. The delicious fish curry with sea bass no longer exists. There is now a fish dish with raw mango, which doesn't appeal. I had dal and spinach instead, which was bland (which I suppose I could/should have predicted). One of my visitors had a "vegetable Biriani" which contained hardly any vegetables. Along with it came two extremely tiny pieces of poppadom in a large paper bag.   This was embarrassing, as I had been singing Malabar's praises and recommending we ordered from there. The other mains and the parathas were OK, but I doubt we will be ordering from there again. My granddaughters wisely opted for Yard Sale pizzas, which were fine. Has anybody else had a similar recent poor (or indeed good!)  experience at Malabar Feast?
    • Another recommendation for Silvano. I echo everything the above post states. I passed first time this week with 3 minors despite not starting to learn until my mid-30s. Given the costs for lessons I have heard, he's also excellent value.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...