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44
The average number on roll was 182 and the average attendance 81%.
There were thirty-six admissions and forty-one leavers during the year.
One child died in hospital.
The September intake was particularly heavily handicapped; 5 wheelchair
cases and 7 incontinents. There are now 13 wheelchair cases in the
school and these, together with the incontinents reveal the limitations of
toilet accommodation in the school.
During the year 361 children were seen at routine medical inspections
by Dr. Wield, 146 parents being present. At special medical examinations
by Dr. Fearnley, 10 children were seen, 7 parents being in attendance, and
by Mr. McQueen, 25 children were seen with 11 parents present. The school
nursing sister and her staff were responsible for the preparation and followup
of these examinations, the maintenance of records and the treatment of
minor ailments in addition to dealing with 129 major epileptic fits and the
toilet training of 23 children.
The Physiotherapy Department gave a total of 9,033 treatments to 42
postural and 50 orthopaedic cases.
Speech Therapy suffered from staff changes and some treatment had to
be curtailed. It is hoped that the position will improve in the coming year.

PUPILS SUFFERING FROM SPEECH DEFECT
In Day Special Schools or Units - 15
In Residential Special Schools - 1
The Day Special Unit for Speech Disordered Children at West Thornton
School continued to make progress during the year, but its work was hampered
by the loss in quick succession of two members of the Speech Therapy team
in addition to the medical officer. Nevertheless, the following report provided
by the Chief Education Officer makes it clear that the high standards which
have been created at this Unit were fully maintained:-