Lewisham-led schools: Primary good, Secondary bad

Lewisham Council-run primaries have squeaked into the top 20 best-performing schools in England at Key Stage Two, in a new research produced by the Education Policy Institute.

The independent research group found that Lewisham's schools were among the country's best once factors including prior attainment of pupils and levels of disadvantage were taken into account. The top 20 is dominated by London schools. Lewisham is ranked 20th.

That's the good news, but Lewisham's biggest challenge is of course its secondary school provision, and at that level, the performance is poor, with our Council-run schools ranked 177th out of 218 providers. The Harris Federation, which runs a number of local schools was ranked second in the country at Key Stage Two and fifth at Key Stage Four.

For the full report click here. Thanks to Ian Duffy for the tip off.

The Hilly Fields Summer Fayre 2018

Brockley Streets

Let's Push Things Forward: The Streets exists to fight this kind of abuse

Brockley Streets is a new community campaign group dedicated to improving local roads for pedestrians and cyclists.

By encouraging better road design and re-routing traffic, The Streets want to stop cars prangin' out or squeezing down roads that don't fit but they know it. They say:

We want to create positive change for the benefit of all residents and visitors to Brockley by
increasing road safety for everybody inside and around the Brockley Conservation Area.

We want to give priority to cyclists, pedestrians and public transport, reduce pollution from traffic going through the area and prevent the use of our streets as rat-runs by non-local traffic.

We are not about the CPZ and we do not represent any particular view for or against (people have asked us this question in the past).

There is a London-wide initiative by TFL and the Mayor of London called 'Healthy Streets' designed to help communities improve local traffic issues and we would like to help shape these developments in Brockley.

To find out more, visit their website and to get actively involved, email them here.

Coulgate Pop

Browns of Brockley has a spiffy new Peter Max-style pop-art makeover, painted over tts black canvas.

BrocSoc slams Ashby Mews changes

The tarmac-covered north end

Following the installation of a gate across the north end of Ashby Mews, some residents have now decided to tarmac the surface, changing its historic character to something which more closely resembles a business park.

The southern end of Ashby Mews is untouched

The gates, which we were initially promised would be left open for pedestrians, are now permanently locked to anyone but residents. As a result of this action, the Brockley Society, which exists to protect the heritage of the Brockley Conservation Area, has issued the following statement:

Brockley Society is aware of the installation of gates at the northern end of Ashby Mews and has advised initiating mews residents (frontagers) that:

• a retrospective planning application is needed
• otherwise LB Lewisham will start enforcement action as the gate is too high
• even though the Mews is privately owned, all mews frontagers along the whole length should have been consulted and a management strategy should have been agreed to ensure free access is maintained for pedestrians as well as delivery and emergency vehicles

Despite this advice being given to the organising mews residents it seems to have fallen on deaf ears as they have now had the mews access lane resurfaced early this week with black tarmacadam at the northern end.

As this destroys the rural character that is such a unique characteristic of the Conservation Area (CA), the Society has escalated its concern via Ward Councillors so as to extend the request to LB Lewisham:

• for enforcement to be investigated or
• to require that planning consent be obtained to stop this 'suburbanisation' threat

On this Brockley Society considers that:

• the resurfacing work fundamentally affects the status of this part of the CA such that it could be withdrawn
• other more suitable traditional solutions should have been considered via the Society to avoid this possibility
• as the work is defined as 'a hard surface' within the curtilage frontage of each property bordering the affected area then the Article 4 Direction protecting the CA should fully apply and the planning applications already granted/in consideration for bordering properties should be reappraised in view of this ill-considered change

In contrast to original reassurances, the pedestrian gate is now locked

Lewishanimals

Lewisham is London's second-most pet-friendly borough.

An analysis of home-rental data on Zoopla by Fasthomes.org found that Lewisham had a higher proportion of pet-friendly ads than any borough except Kensington & Chelsea.

As rental rates increase across London, pet-friendliness becomes a more important issue.

With thanks to BCer Chris Wheal, who is friendly to pets.

The Brockley Street Art Festival 2018

Artist Orbit works on a cosmic piece in Honor Oak

The Brockley Street Art Festival is taking place in parallel to the Brockley Max, creating new works of art across the Greater Brockley area. Now in its fourth year, the Festival is spreading its wings. Organiser Ian explains:

We’re moving the 2018 centrepiece works north of the station this year and and our theme is community spaces.

Aspire is doing a huge work at Luxmore Gardens near Lewisham Way. At nearby Friendly Gardens, Enos is doing an extended mural working with the designs of students at Prendergast Vale.

Lionel Stanhope is refreshing his iconic SE4 work near the station and two artists, Orbit and Owain will be repainting the Honor Oak ‘love them, tell them’ corner fence.

We may also have a new piece by Artmongers, though that may be created next year - it’s big.