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292
Educationally Subnormal Pupils
Number examined: 86
Number recommended:
1. Day E.S.N. School 63
2. Boarding E.S.N. School 3
3. Ordinary school with special help 8
4. Junior Training Centre 12
Children in E.S.N. schools were examined annually as regard
their special handicap. Those fit to return to ordinary school were
de-ascertained. Regular contact was maintained between head
teachers of E.S.N. schools, the Mental Health Officers and Youth
Employment Officers, so that those school leavers who might
require community care were visited and suitable employment
found for them. Such social support enabled these young people
to maintain regular attendance at work and helped the family to
give guidance during those early years of adult life.
During 1965, 57 school leavers were referred to the Department
for community care—of these 48 were 16 year old leavers and
9 had left school either at an earlier or later age. Four children
were ascertained as maladjusted and in need of education in a
special school while three children with dual handicaps were
referred to County Hall for special examination. As a result of
these examinations one child was recommended for day school
for the maladjusted, 1 was recommended for day E.S.N. school
and the remaining child was admitted to a tutorial class pending a
further decision.
Routine Audiometer Testing
Pupils given screening tests 7,058
Pupils failing screening tests
Pupils given pure tone tests 431
Pupils failing pure tone tests 290
Pupils referred to Otologists
Percentage referred to Otologists 4.09
Every child under the educational system is subjected to a
screening hearing test. If this test is failed, more detailed investigation
is arranged and, when necessary, children are referred to the
Otologist for advice and/or treatment; 4.0% of children tested
during 1965 were examined by the Otologist. Some of these children
regained normal hearing after treatment, but others, for example
those suffering from an untreatable congenital hearing defect, were
advised to sit in an appropriate position in class. A few more
seriously deaf children were fitted with hearing aids (at the expense
of the Inner London Education Authority), which enabled some
to take their place in ordinary schools, while a few were admitted