Early Risers.

[andyram]

Morning all. Grey and damp here although the forecast is that things will brighten up later. As the week begins the holiday is coming to an end. The children return to school a week today and the staff start with a training / meeting day on Friday. This will be the first day we get to work with the new head teacher. Whilst he seemed pleasant enough on the occasions we met him, I am sure I am not alone in feeling more than a little unsettled. The situation is probably a little different for me compared to the rest of the staff considering my unsuccessful application for the headship.

 The, now previous, head is popping round this morning to tie up some performance management paperwork which slipped the net during the hectic end of term. It will be good to catch up again. It will certainly be strange going back to work under new management - I have only known one head teacher at our school. Maybe that is why I do not want to go back!

 Beyond the morning meeting our plans depend on the weather. We want to take Amber to the local farm park this afternoon, providing the weather improves. The evening will more than likely be spent in front of the tv with Sky Sports News on catching up on the comings and goings on transfer deadline day. It is something of a tradition for Sarah and I, and wine will definitely be a part of the equation.

 

Have a good day!

[Simon G]

Morning all.  Seems a reasonable morning - the rain passed through during the night.

 

Today will hopefully be a very good day!  My replacement at work is due to start today, so my retirement plans can move to Phase 2.  It will most likely take a while to get the poor guy up to speed, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter!

[bbishop]

Already had one shout this morning!

 

A friend and I had an attenuated visit to the Bermondsey Beer Mile on Saturday. We only went to two of the microbreweries, given my wish to be stone cold sober for cricket. If you have a free Saturday late morning / early afternoon, and are prepared to brave the wilds of South East London, then enter the above into your search engine.

 

Bill

[martin_wynne]

A new school curriculum starts this week:

 

Pupils aged five to seven will be expected to "understand what algorithms are" and to "create and debug simple programs".

 

I don't know about the 5-year-olds but I suspect a few teachers are going to struggle with that.

 

I have a few knotty problems in Templot, so I will be calling round at the local Infants School for some advice on how to solve them using toilet roll centres and plasticene.

 

Martin.

[The Lurker]

Morning all, from a view over Borough Market Junction whichj is heavy with grey cloud - it was blue skies when I walked down the road to the station just over an hour ago!

 

I've been off for a couple of weeks and was back late last week. but everything had kicked off the day after I went off and my boss and I crossed for two days before he is now on holiday. There was an awful lot of discussions on various technical/internal political issues so I didn't get a chance to log in here. I haven't attempted to go back to 13th August to catch up - that might take me another fortnight! But I will have a peruse back as time permits!

 

We didn't go on  holiday but went on day trips closer to home exploting a few new places and visiting a few faves. The weather wasn't great so we didn't visit as many places as we hoped but still managed to visit the RHDR, Groombridge Place, a walk along Southend Pier followed by crazy golf, and various other trips feeding the youngest's obsession with crazy golf (the scoring is what provides most of the interest - he's kept the scorecards; even if he tends to insist he scored 2 for each shot). We also came in to town and did a Clipper Trip to Greenwich, where we visited the observatory / park, and then got the 286 bus home!

 

The boys go back to school tomorrow; interesting to see the different term dates compared to the Derby area. Neither are looking forward to it, particularly the younger who finds all social situations (even family) incredibly stressful, and who is going into Year 1 - so isn't able to imagine what it will be like. Once he has got in his head the new routine he'll be a lot calmer. He's had a good break - challenging himself to read books in the local libraries' "Mythical Maze" book challenge and also deciding to try lots of different foods. He's particularly sensitive to strange textures but we listed over 20 different things he's tried - from the mundane like blackberries (which he insisted he likes, but the face he pulls as he feels the texture in his mouth suggests otherwise) to the more exotic (water chesnuts) and surprising (a mouthful of red and then green chilli off someone's pizza - his face went very red!).

 

Picking up on Andyram's comments about starting the new term under the new head, I can say that I am still at the job where I applied to be the head of department but a colleague got it. He's doing a good job (better than I would have done, in retrospect) but we work well together; the difference is, we'd been colleagues for a number of years where as Andy doesn't have that; chnages of head (and most bosses) tend to bring change, and that can be very difficult for those previously in situ, and there will be grumbles. But as long as it is not change for change's sake, then a change can be beneficial. Let's hope the new Head spends time getting to know the school first before making too many changes. After all, if it aint broke etc

[AndrewC]

Morning all from the boring borough.

 

I second Bill's recommendation of the Bermondsey Beer Mile. 6 brewers (2 share space), 5 tap rooms, 1 bottle shop, and several foodie market stalls along the route including the Maltby St Market. A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

 

Off to the untamed wilds of Sidcup for the Landy's MoT today. Should be nothing wrong. I've only put 3k on it since last year and the brakes, which were last year's "starting to wear" warning have only about 200 miles on them. No doubt a wander down to Invicta Models and the BBQ barn will take up my waiting time.

 

Good to see Mr Lurker back from his bunker in Borough. Hope things settle back down soon. Now we just need Jock to make an appearance.

 

No nectarines, peaches, or mangos growing here. The scumbags next door do have a neglected pair of apple trees, and a sadly butchered peach. Loads of blackberries in the alleyway though, provided Sue from the end terrace doesn't forage them all first.

 

To everyone in the US and Canada. Have a great Labor/Labour day!

 

Laters, dudes and dudettes.

[andyram]

A new school curriculum starts this week:

 

Pupils aged five to seven will be expected to "understand what algorithms are" and to "create and debug simple programs".

 

I don't know about the 5-year-olds but I suspect a few teachers are going to struggle with that.

 

I have a few knotty problems in Templot, so I will be calling round at the local Infants School for some advice on how to solve them using toilet roll centres and plasticene.

 

Martin.

True enough the new National Curriculum comes into force today, however only certain year groups have to follow it this year. Children in year 2 and 6 will be assessed against the old criteria during this year's SATs. By the time these year groups have to follow the new curriculum we will have had a General Election, and who knows what that means for the education system.

 There are a few programmes out there that are easy to use for younger children, and you may be surprised at how well they learn to handle them.

 

 

The boys go back to school tomorrow; interesting to see the different term dates compared to the Derby area. Neither are looking forward to it, particularly the younger who finds all social situations (even family) incredibly stressful, and who is going into Year 1 - so isn't able to imagine what it will be like. Once he has got in his head the new routine he'll be a lot calmer. He's had a good break - challenging himself to read books in the local libraries' "Mythical Maze" book challenge and also deciding to try lots of different foods. He's particularly sensitive to strange textures but we listed over 20 different things he's tried - from the mundane like blackberries (which he insisted he likes, but the face he pulls as he feels the texture in his mouth suggests otherwise) to the more exotic (water chesnuts) and surprising (a mouthful of red and then green chilli off someone's pizza - his face went very red!).

 

Picking up on Andyram's comments about starting the new term under the new head, I can say that I am still at the job where I applied to be the head of department but a colleague got it. He's doing a good job (better than I would have done, in retrospect) but we work well together; the difference is, we'd been colleagues for a number of years where as Andy doesn't have that; chnages of head (and most bosses) tend to bring change, and that can be very difficult for those previously in situ, and there will be grumbles. But as long as it is not change for change's sake, then a change can be beneficial. Let's hope the new Head spends time getting to know the school first before making too many changes. After all, if it aint broke etc

Re term times: A number of authorities have always had different term times. Leicester for instance always break up earlier and go back sooner than Derby and Notts. Changes in rules allow authorities and even individual schools to have more flexibility when setting term dates. Nottingham have already used this to reduce their six week break to five by adding an extra week onto the October half term (madness if you ask me!)

 

As regards the change of head. I am not disheartened at not getting the job, I did not expect to get it. I applied as no one else in the school did. But one of the reasons I applied was to try and guard against the change for changes sake possibility which was mentioned above! I hope my positive first impressions of the new boss remain after working with him!

[AndyB]

Morning all,

last day of the summer holiday today so we're going to try and cram in plenty of exciting things.

 

Yesterday's excitement was for the children to empty a bucket of cold water over my head. I found the requisite ice encrusting my fridge's freezer box! Rather refreshing really.

Of course, all in the name of cha-rid-y,  Cancer Research UK. 

 

Diet continues and I'm on track. 

 

Have a nice day everyone. Feels somewhat autumnal outside at the moment. Andy

[Tony_S]

Back in the 1980s I worked for the London Borough of Havering. The infants there did lots of programming initially with robots (floor turtles mainly) using the Logo language. I think some of the project people Andrew C has to work with would have benefited from the process of planning, implementing, testing and revising that the tiny children soon were using. 

So why with all that early work developing skills is this country now re-inventing the wheel? Well there is a reason but this forum doesn't allow politics or religion and the reason for it stopping in 1990 wasn't religion!

 

Tony

[beast66606]

Morning all,

 

A bright start to the day but the forecast is for this to turn into a steady drizzle, like others we have kids who are back at school, ours go back this week and Jill starts a day earlier on Wednesday so they are all fed up the summer is over.

Not much else to report at the moment,

 

Have a good day all.

[Smiffy2]

Morning all from the boring borough.

 

I second Bill's recommendation of the Bermondsey Beer Mile. 6 brewers (2 share space), 5 tap rooms, 1 bottle shop, and several foodie market stalls along the route including the Maltby St Market. A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

 

Damn. I was in Bermondsey on Saturday and there was much talk of going to Maltby Street, but we decided on artisanal sausages and bacon from the railway arches in Marine Street instead! But then, I was the driver...

[PhilJ W]

I have to go for a blood test at the local hospital. Problem is that if you arrive there any time after about 9 in the morning you end up waiting for a couple of hours for your 'turn'.

[Tony_S]

I have to go for a blood test at the local hospital. Problem is that if you arrive there any time after about 9 in the morning you end up waiting for a couple of hours for your 'turn'.

I've been going until recently to the local clinic in Benfleet but it is necessary to make an appointment. Aditi always uses this for her "fasting" blood tests. However my recent blood tests include some that have to be processed immediately so I went to the walk in clinic at Southend Hospital. Usually very quick and on one recent visit I wasn't in long enough to have to pay in the car park (first 30 minutes free).

[DonBradley]

A later start than usual.

Summer appears to have announced  it's imminent arrival by providing a hot night last night and a promised 28C today.

I have pills to take at 6:00pm, 12:00pm and 6:00 am. I slept well until 12:00 but could not get back to sleep thereafter, so lay on top of my bed after breakfast. Had a visit from  a Lady friend, then the room cleaning lady, so no catch-up sleep ensued. I do feel better for it though.

re Andyram's and Lurker's change of Heads, whilst working as a programmer I went through through six Company take-overs, each with it's accompanying Departmental head change and address change. From first to last I retained my old clients, systems etc, i.e, within my working environment, NO change at all.

 'Day of sorting out the cupboard under the stairs beckons' Let us know if you find Harry Potter lurking there..

Southern Region Steam I hope you are not condemned to a life of washing up!.

[bluebottle]

Is that third rail electrification?

 

Ed

 

Yes, it is. Side-contact outside third rail at 850 V DC. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Gervais%E2%80%93Vallorcine_railway for more info. As I said, I'd asked my daughter to take some railway photographs, and she and her partner are pretty good photographers, but I couldn't of course go into too much detail. For instance, when I was last in Chamonix years ago. the third rail had alarmingly rickety-looking wooden boards for shielding. A close-up shot of the present arrangement would have been interesting. I would imagine that this method of supplying current to a metre-gauge line in a mountain area must be unusual, if not unique?

 

Edit: typo.

Edited September 1, 2014 by bluebottle

[trisonic]

I think that I really need a change of head, Don. Mine’s too old.

 

Best, Pete.

[PhilJ W]

Tony, as I live within shouting distance of Basildon hospital its just a case of a ten minute walk, but Mondays are not good for that sort of thing anyway as clinics etc are usually crowded from the off. Glad to hear from you Don, I was about to ask about you, over here those overnight temperatures would be considered oppressive.

[NGT6 1315]

Been busy preparing learning technique folders for 5th classes thus far and will do a repeat of that for the 6th classes. It's quite reasonable to specifically instruct pupils for effective learning, I think. This was something we didn't have in our time!

[skipepsi]

Morning all, last week of holiday and it is raining hard. Yesterday I climbed a tree to try and cut back a branch that is too close to the phone line. It isn't a new head I need it is a body that can do as it is told. We are going to Preston on Saturday to pick up DD2's keys for her accomadation, then back again on the 13th todrop her and the rest of her stuff off On the 14th down to Winchester to drop son 1 off at Sparsholt. Anybody spot the significance of the dates...... My plan was..... . 

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Herself has just gone off to have her hair done, so some shopping and pay in a cheque for me.  I'm not sure when I'm supposed to start my appointed task of the post decorating clean-up/clear-up in the living room so I think I might be best off waiting further instructions although a bit of vacuuming cleaning might indicate initiative. until such time as I'm called to collect herself from town (depending on amount of shopping and weather threat to her haircut.

 

More importantly laddo has his appointment with the cardiologist this morning - and will no doubt neglect to tell us the outcome until he gets home.

 

Have a good day folks.

[Barry O]

back from sister drac..... blood etc taken, weigh in conducted - lost another 2kg which isn't bad considering the cricket teas i have eaten this summer(!)

 

Test results in 2 weeks as Sister Drac is off doing some "learning days" --- new fangs being tested perhaps?

 

Sunny now, washing done  and off to the post office soon.

 

just a tad annoyed as I have had a trader pull out of our show as he hasn't anyone to come along..... so need to find a replacement... ho hum!

 

stay calm everyone

 

baz

Edited September 1, 2014 by Barry O

[Andrew P]

Morning all, last week of holiday and it is raining hard. Yesterday I climbed a tree to try and cut back a branch that is too close to the phone line. It isn't a new head I need it is a body that can do as it is told. We are going to Preston on Saturday to pick up DD2's keys for her accomadation, then back again on the 13th todrop her and the rest of her stuff off On the 14th down to Winchester to drop son 1 off at Sparsholt. Anybody spot the significance of the dates...... My plan was..... . 

I hear its nice in Preston and Sparsholt this time of year.

 

Did you knot explain the significance of the dates, put on the callander on the wall marked in RED saying I'M OUT?

 

Bodge, (still hoping to get there)

[Barry O]

Bodge

 

those dates were already scribed as "Swindon - STEAM" this time last year so RMWeb live is just a nogo...

 

Baz

[petethemole]

Clearly Coventry is a dead loss, but if you leave at disgusting o'clock on the Sunday could you take in Swindon on the way back from Sparsholt? Or give them a wheelie case each and point them at the station.

 

("Young people today.... all done for them....grumble mutter mutter...back in my day...mutter... rucksack and four carrier bags....mutter....spilt all over the platform....I was, of course, very, very, drunk".) 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dull & dismal (me too) and trying to rain.

The bad news is that I had to take the Boss to the shops this morning.

The good news is that "we" are going to Steam at Swindon on the 14th Sept. You could have knocked me down with a feather when that was suggested.

Have a good one,

Bob.