Clapton Pond Blog

Welcome To Hackney

This is the sight that greets road-users entering the borough at Dalston on Balls Pond Road. Not the prettiest. Stenciled at the bottom: 'Solidarity With the Paris Suburb Revolt.' That was two-and-a-half years ago.

Teenage Pregnancy

From 24dash

"Figures published today show the biggest drop for five years in teenage conception rates, confirmation that the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working. The Office of National Statistics figures show teenage pregnancy rates continuing to fall with a reduction in both the under 18 and the under 16 rates during 2006."

Apparently, the change is particularly marked in Hackney. Now read on.

Sister Wendy At Hackney Empire

Yes, it's true!

The Shaigetz

He's been a bit quiet lately.

London Fields

Mr Locker of Stamford Hill has drawn my attention to the website of the London Fields User Group. I hereby do the same for you.

Mayorally Engaged

The reason this blog has been relatively quiet lately is that I've been absorbed in the London Mayoral race. See here and here.

Venetia's Coffee Shop

Is there a better cafe within walking distance of the Pond than Venetia's in Chatsworth Road? The Amhurst opposite Hackney Central station, possibly? I love it there. The Mess, almost next door? Hmm. Has its fans, but contains too many Guardian readers for my liking. Ho ho. Let me know? [Photos by Dolores]

Luke On Super Wayne

Cllr Akehurst writes:

"I'm not very impressed by Haringey copper, Supt Wayne Mawson, who 'has admitted that he was forced to move house by youths hanging around outside his home.' According to The Torygraph he "decided to leave because he did not want to confront the teenagers sitting on the wall of his property in Hackney.".

A stout defence of teenager wall-sitters ensues.

Convicted

Mohammed Hamid won't be a fellow Hackney resident for much longer. Here's why.

Lauriston School

From the Sunday Telegraph:

"Lauriston Primary School's reputation for being one of the few good schools in its area has sent its application numbers soaring. The school, in the east London borough of Hackney, is thought to have one of the smallest catchment areas in the country. Children living 120 yards away have been turned down. A recent analysis of how good schools can affect house prices found that the £490,000 cost of a three bedroom house in the leafy crescent of Victorian terraces near Lauriston Primary was £90,000 higher than prices outside the school's catchment area."

Read on to discover that the school will begin admitting double the current number of five-year-olds next year and that the Learning Trust says, "Expanding popular and successful schools is a key part of Hackney's education plan."

I don't understand why this is a priority. Wouldn't it make more sense to concentrate on helping other schools in the area become equally successful, rather than consolidating a demand for places at the most popular one that will surely outstrip supply again before too long, with those new places that become available being gobbled up by parents affluent enough to pay the higher house prices in the neighbourhood to the exclusion of everyone else? I'm sure there's an official answer to this question. Does anyone know what it is?