Harris Academy (new boys school for East Dulwich)

[the-e-dealer]

I have just seen the outlines of Harris's new scheme. They have completly taken on the planning objections that residents raised. It has been moved away from the gardens and the edge of Friern Road and the entrances are now all on Forest Hill Road.

After us all being called Nimbys and Lord Harris called worse (amazing how much childish name calling is started when you build a school!) I think we have all got a scheme we can live with. I also discovered that the internal space meets space requirements. Its only when external space is added that the ratio is to low. How about Harris spending some money on ED Leisure centre to upgrade it and then can share it and ED gets an better leisure centre?

I am suprised that Harris won't come along and explain how 950 boys can be educated satisfactorily when they seem so convinced they can. There are some who arent convinced and they need convincing. I also agree that it would be great if the school was built on 20 acres of park land (at least it is near) with rolling hills in the background - buts its South London not the South Downs!

Mind you I never did the point of that Golf Course - How many locals use that?!

[snoozequeen1]

Just wondering which golf course you mean?

[Emily]

With three kids to educate, two boys and a girl, it's hard to find the right place. This isn't it.

[Emily]

None of my three children will be going there.

[zephyr]

Emily Wrote:

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>

> Sunshine House is not for dyslexic children, for

> heavens sake. And I find your assumption that the

> children who attend Sunshine House are 'thick' is

> just disgustingly offensive and prejudiced. You

> have absolutely no idea what you are talking

> about.

Hi there

I think you will find that Sunshine House is for children with a whole host of different special needs and that does include dyslexia as it can impact on a variety of different skills. One of my children is dyslexic and was referred there due to her dyspraxia (the two go together) - needing OT support etc. I think you will find that you are being a tad narrow minded.

[BigDad]

The reason the girls school didn't get the same kind o reaction is that it was built on three times the amount of land, so there is suitable outdoors space for them.

The major concern raised by the boys school is the small size of the site. There is no outdoor games area, no area marked off to kick a ball around at break. There are 30 car places taking up valuable outdoor space which could be built under the school.

The only sports facility on site is one sports hall which has 4 badminton courts. This will keep 16 boys occupied at a time - so what exactly do the rest of the boys do in this much hyped sports academy? Do they go over to the girls school to use the pool? Of course not - thats being closed down and turned into a teaching block as it too expensive to run.

Will Harris explain that to us? Will they tell us how the school is supposed to work? How they will shift kids back and forth between the schools? Where will kids do their sports? (Peckham Rye? No agreement has been reached with the Council to use it so what will happen there?)

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Interesting questions BigDad - hope you get some answers. Regarding shifting kids between the schools, surely they will just walk across the park? My school had the playing fields a mile up a busy, main road and we had to walk there (unless one of the teachers was in a good mood and gave us a lift). No big deal.

[bon3yard]

I may well have been misinformed but I was told that the people behind this school are a band of religious zealots that intend to scrap the teaching of evolution in favour of intelligent design and creationism. Please, tell me I've been misinformed and that these medieval numbskulls have stayed at home in Alabama. Please.

[BARA]

In the old days when the site in question was part of Friern Girls, housing around 400 in the main building ( the extensions came much later) we all trooped up to the Homestall Road playing fields twice a week for sport/PE.

When site was Waverley, the girls went to the old Honor Oak building (now Harris) for sport. There has never been, as far as I can recall, facilities for sport at this site. Ok for netball only and general playtime use.

[the-e-dealer]

Do you think it was a satisfactory arrangement?

[BARA]

I think it was generally accepted. Bit of a drag on wet days. It was in the days when most schools had to travel to play sports. Do you remember the the general sports/playing fields which Mrs. T and the Torys sold off to developers. Many of the southwark schools used Homestall Road Playing fields, either for their weekly sports sessions or school sports days. By the time my eldest was at school (1978 plus) school sports days were held either in Peckham or Dulwich Parks. She went to Goodrich School which was originally the Friern Upper School housing the 14 - 18 year olds. My youngest, who went to St Anthonys had her sports days in the Playing fields/sports club off Burbage Road.

I have a feeling that even schools like Kingsdale, had to travel elsewhere for sports. I will have to check with my friend who was at Kingsdale in the 60s whilst I was at Friern. I think they went by coach somewhere near Epsom each week.

Any of you oldies around remember?

[blinder999]

my school playing fields were across town from the school - we all had to walk a couple of miles on Thursday afternoons to get there.

And I see schoolkids using Hyde Park for sports every day - so what's the big deal about using Peckham Rye?

[trinity]

Not a problem except this is meant to be a sports academy. It seems a bit of a con for both children and parents to make out that this will provide incredible sporting facilities when it does no such thing.

[the-e-dealer]

Or fd.g b..e yr eprl yd. Olrpyo!

[Emily]

I think it's ugly

[Muttley]

In the latest EDGE update (East Dulwich for Good Education) they've called it The Sardine Academy. I think that name could stick.

There's an 'open day' (open late afternoon really) at the ED Community Centre on Darrell Road between 4 and 6pm on 9th March. I'm sure it will be more formally advertised elsewhere.

[the-e-dealer]

Its a bit misleading as the building meets standards its the grounds that arent big enough.

[zephyr]

Emily Wrote:

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> Well, exactly Zephyr, your daughter was not

> referred there for her dyslexia as that isn't what

> Sunshine House is for! Exactly as I said. How

> EXACTLY is it 'narrow minded' to say something

> that is true, when people have no idea?

Yes you are narrow minded as you do not seem to know about the services that it runs - please look at this link - Sunshine House

quote -

Sunshine House provides spec**list services to meet the needs of children and young people aged up to 19 years old in a child-centred and family friendly environment including

* Children with spec**l educational needs and learning disabilities

* Children with speech and language needs

* Children with specific health needs (e.g. hearing impairment, HIV, chronic illness, post surgical care)

* Children at risk of significant harm (e.g. physical, sexual and emotional abuse)

* Looked after children (adopted and fostered).

-unquote

Dyslexia is a special educational need - I should know as two of my children have it as does my wife and my sister. Dyspraxia and dyslexia go together and are effectively part of the same thing.

Didn't particularly want to argue about this but as we have attended there I thought it would be relevant.

I have replaced certain letters with ** as there are certain words which contain a name of a well known drug (well known from spam anyway!)

All in my own humble opinion of course.

Edited to explain the **

[tiddles]

hi - was unable to make the "do" at darrell road yesterday - anything achieved or was it just people getting together for a bit of a (justified) moan?

[Eileen]

jan t Wrote:

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> hi - was unable to make the "do" at darrell road

> yesterday - anything achieved or was it just

> people getting together for a bit of a (justified)

> moan?

Hi Jan - have a look at http://edge4schools.org/id7.html for the brief report on a successful event. The rest of the website gives more info. Some small inching forward into trying to get a genuine scrutiny of the implications of 950 boys on that small site. Next key step :

Lobby of Children's Services and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee

6:30pm, Wednesday 19th March

Peckham Town Hall, Peckham Road, SE15

meet outside, and then go in to the meeting together at 7pm.

[macroban]

Harris Federation exclusion policies.

[AllforNun]

Er - once again it is only 700 FT.

What is with you people ?

[Emily]

I don't like it.

[the-e-dealer]

There are lifts in the Harris design - for disabled only.

Looking at the City Academy in Rotherhithe I could see NO grounds at all suprised it got through.

Anyone know how it is doing? Has it exploded yet?

Emily Wrote:

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> Actually, it is not at all true to say that

> 'dyslexia and dyspraxia go together', implying

> they are always present together. My son has

> dyspraxia but not dyslexia. As you say yourself,

> your daughter was not referred for dyslexia. Just

> as I said. She was referred for another condition

> altogether.

> The building is still crap, and unfit for purpose

> regardless. Unless you think that stairs are a

> good way for kids in wheelchairs to get to the

> lower level of the building, where the OT

> department is housed.

> Sunshine House shows that Southwark Council is

> incompetent when it comes to creating new

> buildings.

> And let's face it, a school that claims to be

> first and foremost a sports Academy is no place

> for children with dyspraxia. Especially if they

> are half-way bright.

> It would be a cruel joke on our part to send our

> clever, dyspraxic son to such a place.

[the-e-dealer]

to what are you referring to please old chap/ess?

700FT