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SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
The health and well-being of Lewisham schoolchildren remains high. Medical
examination of all children on entry to primary school, at the age of seven years, on
transfer to secondary school and at school leaving age has continued.
Audiometric testing is carried out on all children on entry to school. Those in
whom any defect of hearing is indicated are referred for specialist investigation and
treatment. Annual examination for personal hygiene is also carried out in school.
Respiratory tract infections and asthma continue to be major causes of absenteeism.
Both day open air schools in the Borough had waiting lists for admission during
most of the year. This always included a proportion of such cases.
Acquired heart and circulatory disease continue to decrease. However, the incidence
of children with abnormalities of haemoglobin appears to shew an increase co-incident
with the rise in immigrants from the Mediterranean littoral living in the area.
Two of the commonest medical problems are nocturnal enuresis and obesity.
Various techniques and methods of treatment are tried for these children, but it is
found that both conditions provide most intractable problems in many cases.
Handicapped Pupils.
The comprehensive observation register has been described elsewhere. This will
include full details concerning children suffering from physical, mental or serious
socio-medical handicap. Every effort is made to integrate these children into ordinary
schools. However, a small proportion, for whom this is not possible or suitable,
attend lay schools providing specialist teaching and care in this or neighbouring
boroughs. A still smaller proportion are receiving treatment and education at boarding
special schools.
The School Health Service continues to endeavour to safeguard the interests of
handicapped school children. Close liaison with the Youth Employment Service
continues to develop in an effort to assist the handicapped school-leavers.
Haemophiliac Children.
The department is co-operating in a national survey being undertaken by Dr.
K. N. Dormandy, of the Royal Free Hospital Medical School and the Medical
Research Council, into the care and education of haemophiliac children. It is hoped
that eventually better facilities for the short-term treatment of these children will
become available throughout the country. As well as helping in their general wellbeing
and development, this should avoid the need for the long periods of absence
from school which so many of them have at present.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
At the beginning of the year, there were six Special Day Schools in the Borough plus
a special teaching unit for young deaf and blind children, which is accommodated
in Hither Green Hospital.
The schools are :—
1. The Nansen School for Partially Sighted Children.
2. Meeting House Primary School for Educationally Sub-normal children.
3. Plassey School for Physically Handicapped Children (Primary Mixed and
Secondary School age girls).
4. Lee Manor Secondary School for Physically Handicapped Boys.
5. Woodlands Primary Day Open Air School.
6. Brent Knoll Primary and Secondary Day Open Air School.
At the end of the summer term in July, the two schools for physically handicapped
children were closed. At the beginning of the academic year in September, the pupils
were transferred to the new school for the physically handicapped at Charlton Park
in the London Borough of Greenwich.
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