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SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
The Inner London Education Authority is responsible for the school health service,
but by virtue of an agreement required by Section 32 of the London Government
Act, 1963, there is joint use by the Authority and the Borough Council of professional
staff premises and equipment. The Medical Officer of Health is the Principal School
Medical Officer of the Inner London Education Authority for the area and responsible
to that authority for the day-to-day running of the service.
The health of the 43,808 children of school age in the Borough has, during the
year, continued to be good and supervision of all aspects of the health of these children
has been maintained.
Children are medically examined routinely on at least four occasions during their
school life, i.e. at entry to school at 5 years, at 7 to 8 years of age, at entry to secondary
school and again before the statutory school leaving age of 15 years. Parents are
invited to attend at these examinations. In addition, many special medical inspections
are carried out, both in school and in the home by school doctors, in response to
requests by parents, teachers or education authorities for advice about various
aspects of children's health, fitness for ordinary school, etc. Recommendations
for placement at special schools, speech therapy, home tuition and provision of
transport to and from school may be made as a result of these special medical
examinations.
Some of the school doctors are specially qualified to carry out tests of intelligence
for ascertainment of children who are educationally subnormal, and these tests
are carried out at special inspections. In addition, arrangements are made for the
reinspection in school of some children who, at their routine examination, are
considered to require continued observation.
Annual hygiene inspections and vision tests are carried out by school nurses
and all children have an audiometer test soon after school entry and later in their
school life should any doubt about their hearing arise.
Defects of vision or hearing may be investigated at vision and audiology clinics
held in the school treatment centres by specialist doctors.
Special investigation clinics are held throughout the Borough for the treatment
of school children of such conditions as obesity, eneuresis and minor behaviour
disorders. These clinics are staffed by school doctors and social workers.
Wherever possible handicapped children are educated in ordinary schools, but
for some children this is not possible and arrangements may be made for placement
by the Inner London Education Authority at special day and boarding schools. The
special schools situated within the Borough are as follows:—
Nansen School for Partially Sighted Children 59 Pendragon Road, Downham
Meeting House Primary School for the Educationally
Subnormal Roundtable Road, Downham
Brent Knoll School for the Delicate Mayow Road, S.E.23
In addition there is a Partially Hearing Unit for children of secondary school
age in Sedgehill Comprehensive School. Children in this unit spend part of the
school week participating in normal school classes, but attend the special unit for
specialised teaching. Children with severe hearing defects or who are maladjusted
attend day schools in neighbouring boroughs, and physically handicapped children
attend Charlton Park School in Greenwich. A new school for educationally subnormal
children is planned for the Borough in 1970.
Observation Register
The names of children who are handicapped and whose home address is in the
Borough are listed in the Observation Register, whether or not they attend schools
outside the Borough. An index card is kept for each child showing handicap, family
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