View report page

Educationally Subnormal Wedgwood School
Educationally Subnormal St. Huberts School
Educationally Subnormal (Severe) Granville Sharp School
MaJadjusted (including unit for
5 Autistic Children). Northcroft School
188
160
75
84
1,133
(187)
(173)
(75)
(85)
M52)
(30 pupils are accommodated at Palingswick Hostel for diabetic children and attend day schools in the
neighbourhood).
Educationally-Subnormal Children
Under Section 34 of the Education Act, 1944, it is the duty of a Local Education Authority to discover
which children over the age of two years require special educational treatment as handicapped pupils. Of the
various categories of handicapped pupils, the educationally-subnormal is the largest.
139 (156) pupils were examined under this Section on account of a disability of the mind or any other
condition which might necessitate special educational treatment. 104 (100) children were examined for
suspected disability of the mind and of these 53 (49) were recommended as fit to continue to attend ordinary
school, 69 (93) were recommended for placement in a school for educationally-subnormal pupils, and 5 (3)
were recommended for Community Care.
The remaining 12 (11) were examined because of their physical handicaps. 1 (3) was recommended for
boarding open-air school, 5(1) for day open-air school, 6 (2) for day school for the physically handicapped
and 0 (3) for home tuition.
17(12) children were examined because of severe subnormality. Of these 10(6 children were recommended
to attend an E.S.N. (Severe) School, and 2(3) were recommended for special care in an annexe of the school.
5(3) were recommended for Community Care only.
Handicapped School Leavers
When handicapped young people leave school, any further care will be arranged by the Social Services
Department. At present the school medical records and case files are not transferred directly to this
department for various reasons, including the difficulties regarding confidentiality. Much of the
correspondence on these records and files has been exchanged on the understanding that it was "Doctor to
Doctor". However, I feel that it is important that these young people be brought to the attention of the Social
Services Department.
1 therefore introduced a system whereby my school medical officers endeavour to supply the Social Services
Department with a very brief summary of each handicapped young person who has left or will leave school.
These forms are completed by the school medical officer during the last term that the young person is at
school in our area. The case history of those children who are resident in our area but who are placed in either
boarding schools or schools in other areas will be summarized by the school medical officer from school
medical records and case files which are obtained from the other authorities concerned.
With regard to handicapped children in our schools who are not resident in our area, a summary is not
completed, but all these case files, plus school medical records, are forwarded to the Principal School Medical
Officer concerned.
I am sure that this new scheme is proving to be a further means of benefit to our community.
Personal Hygiene
An annual comprehensive survey of each pupil is carried out together with such additional health surveys as
are thought necessary or desirable at selected individual schools. Details of the work done under the cleansing
scheme are shown below. The emphasis of the cleansing scheme is on the children being cleansed by the parent
at home where other verminous members of the family may, in the privacy that the home affords, also use the
Lorexane No. 3 shampoo distributed by the school nursing department and thus eradicating a possible source
of recurring infestation to the child.
It is the practice for the school nurse, prior to the commencement of school term, to visit families with a
record of infestation to ensure that the children are clean and fit to return to school. This practice has
continued to be of considerable value.

D6