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When meeting up take sensible precautions. Meet in a public place and let others know where you are going.

Original poster

WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - OCTOBER 2006 - EALING, ACTON, CHISWICK, KEW, RICHMOND, ISLEWORTH, KINGSTON ETC

720 replies

MrsBigD · 02/10/2006 11:03

Here's the general chit-chat thread for October

Synopsis please on what I've missed last week! Too pre-occupied for various reasons to wade through all threads. Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsBigD · 10/10/2006 13:35

2cute glad to meet up

As for nursery, yes very normal to be picky. I didn't like the ones who from the word 'I'm looking for a space' went into how much they are involved in learning and curriculum. IMHO kids are supposed to be kids and play . I went for Jigsaws because they've got huge rooms and a humongous garden. DS loves open space. Another nursery I looked at looked ok I but I felt it was too crammed and another to reglemented. Important thing is... go with your gut

OP posts:
lemonaid · 10/10/2006 13:41

Normal to be picky,a nd I know exactly what you mean about the right balance between free play and organised activity. I would recommend ours but it's too far away from you and likely to be full anyway.

When you have found the perfect nursery, though, you can then start stressing about finding a follow-on primary school that will build on the values and atmosphere of the nursery . And so ad infinitum, I suspect...

suejoneziscalmernow · 10/10/2006 13:56

just go for the loads of free play one - send them with a bag of lentils to weave their own smock and get an added bonus too. There, sorted for you

2Cute · 10/10/2006 13:59

Happy to hear that I'm not neurotic!

Lemonaid - Lol I'm already worried about his infant/primary school...It's C of E and I'm Sikh but really want DS to go to this school (its got a great rep)...I had a huge interest in Christianity as a little 'un as it is very similar to the teachings of Sikhism, we even kept a Bible at home....Oh well, enough waffle...one thing at a time, will deal with school stress later!

BigD - This Jigsaws sounds good, will look into it even if it isn't that local

2Cute · 10/10/2006 13:59

Sj - Lol at your post

Original poster
MrsBigD · 10/10/2006 14:20

SJ LOL

2Cute... don't get me started on church affiliates schools...

jigsaw is great because they're also Montessori aligned. DS is very happy there. There's bound to be something similar in your area

OP posts:
suejoneziscalmernow · 10/10/2006 14:24

all religious schools should be fighting to give my child a place as I am unaffiliated to any religion and therefore ripe for the picking

bunyanvillas · 10/10/2006 14:29

Stressing out BIG TIME over schools at this end -and DD is not even two!! Best school near us is CofE but I am just not particularly religious (although attended church, sang in choir etc until age of 18) and am not sure about cosying up to the vicar just to try and get dd into a good school, it all seems so wrong. And yet the only other option for us (ie in our catchment area) is so poor I just couldn't consider it. Off now to search on findaproperty

Nanou1 · 10/10/2006 14:50

hi guys! schools... bunyan... i agree with you on the wrong bit... our dd "will" be CofE (am a christian) or French school in ealing (either one will be hard to get into i think and yep i am starting to stress about it too!). There was an interesting article in the papers this weekend re people trying to get their kids into CofE schooling. the stuff people are prepared to do... either daily telegraph or the times. no wonder more and more people are considering home schooling! how was the wedding Mrs? you ok 2cute? how is the curtain going Quokka? will catch up in a minute. x

quokka · 10/10/2006 17:37

Curtains almost done but will have to finish it when the little buggers are asleep! Oh I meant my adorable 2 LO's of course

quokka · 10/10/2006 17:41

Actually being an ausssie I am absolutely clueless on schooling here . Someone will have to sit me down and explain it or tell me where the best schools are. One thing I know for sure is that they are not going to a religious school. I got baptised at 13 just to go to the right school, and I hated it!

pudding77 · 10/10/2006 17:43

Seems like I'm the only one sending ds to a catholic school!

pudding77 · 10/10/2006 17:46

Quokka, as far as I know, you will get a form to fill in the year before ds is due to go & you list where you would like him to go in order of preference. If he doesn't get into one of those , the council will offer you a school which is likely to be the one where noone wants to go to!

I think that's how it works tho I'm sure someone else here actually has children in school and is more qualified than me!!

quokka · 10/10/2006 17:47

oh I don't mean to offend but I found it hard to take religion seriously when I had never been to church before, or my family wern't practicing catholics but I went to a catholic school.

quokka · 10/10/2006 17:48

isn't there open days for the schools? What about reception or is that school?

Paddlechick666 · 10/10/2006 17:52

hi bunyan, which school are you going for? i heard hounslow schools were great and especially in isleworth.

worried now!!!

DH just got offered PROPER job!!! he's had 3 interviews today and the 2nd one rang back with an offer for an immediate start - they LURVE him!!!

PC666

Original poster
MrsBigD · 10/10/2006 18:33

PC good for dh hope it works out

as for schools... you get to put down 3 schools and make sure you do put your choices down as otherwise the borough will allocate the one with the least takers (read worst in the area). We are lucky as the school where dd has been accepted (North Ealing) is a) across the road , b) a very good school (so good tht people actually move into the area) and c) non church affiliated. Not sure what I'll be doing for secondary school but dd is only in reception LOL. I think schools have open days if not I'm sure visits can be arranged with the head master. Ofsted reports are something to go by if you can decipher their bureaucrat talk.

I was clueless too how things work in this country and found to my horror that I should have put dd on waiting list for nursery 2 years before her due start date! Thankfully got lucky and despite of being no. 50 on waiting list she got in eventually. Schools though get allocated by distance by the borough so that's just as chaotic...

OP posts:
pudding77 · 10/10/2006 18:45

Hey quokka, you didn't offend . I know what you mean tho as lots of people do it to get into a good school! Friends of ours use to ask us why we bothered going to church, getting ds baptised etc and then found out the catholic one is the best school in Brentford apparently. They're not willing to convert either so they're moving instead!

PC - congratulations on dh's job!

Paddlechick666 · 10/10/2006 18:53

whoo hooo!

we just split 1 bottle Cava into 3 glasses and now everyone giggly!

dh bathing dd and dm (dear mother??) speaking on phone to dsd (dear step-dad??)

thanks for the congrats - he's actually been offered a 2nd job today as well and the 3rd were very interested but not looking to appoint for about 6 weeks.

he's decided which to take but has told the 3rd that he's still interested in the meantime.

phew, it is a bit of a relief as it's all been a bit up in the air.

only bad news for today is our tenants in our SE16 flat have served notice - feck, we will have to stump up their deposit now !

ah well.

laters lovely people.

;-)

fatfox · 10/10/2006 18:55

Puds - we're Catholics too and DS and DD both go to the local Ctaholic school. Had to get an exemplary priests reference though, to even think of getting in

2cute - CofE head honchos have decided that they will in future accept 25% into CofE schools from other faiths (not sure when it comes into force, but it is to encourage community cohesion) so you do stand a chance being Hindu. It might be well worth your while finding out who the Vicar is for that Parish, where the school is, and having a chat with him/her - tell them you'd like to go to the CofE school as you may be able to get their dsupport for your application when the time comes.

I lost two weeks sleep when we thought DS wouldn't get into the NURSERY attached to our Catholic shool, so reckon I will need valium when it comes to applying for secondary schools

Quokka - could you text me the details fo your builder again as PG woman here can't find the e-mail you sent. 07779-289-041. Thanks

PC - yeah Weds daytime would be fab - thanks.Congrats on DH's new jobbie offer, that's great news
Also, the good advice regarding the NHS attempts to induce me 2 weeks early

MrsBigD - half term is deffo 23/10. Will try and get organised to meet after half term

fatfox · 10/10/2006 18:57

Puds - at least two families in DS's class LIED about their address to get their LOs into his school

suejoneziscalmernow · 10/10/2006 18:59

Foatfox is catholic and her DS goes to a catholic school.

Hey Foxie - I had dinner with Linda somebody who is a reporter for ITV (apparently I was supposed to recognise her, blotted my copybook there) on Sat - her dd is at school with your DS. Can't remember her name though

suejoneziscalmernow · 10/10/2006 19:03

2cute is Sikh, foxie not Hindu! Will blame it on pregnancy brain.

frightyfox · 10/10/2006 19:36

Ooops, sorry 2cute

Sue - Linda's DD is in DS's class Can't recall surname either, but its an Irish name isn't it. Does she work on Trevpor McD's prog?

frightyfox · 10/10/2006 19:37

I mean Trevor.

Sue .... you name dropper you

Did I namedrop that Andrew Wakefield's youngest two are also at the school?

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