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117
In June, 1919, six voluntary nursery schools were recognised by the Council
under Section 19 of the Act, and within the next few months two more schools were
included.
In July, 1919, it was decided that where application was made by managers,
arrangements should be made by the Council for the medical inspection and treatment
of children attending these non-provided schools. In December, 1919, a
report from the medical officer advocated nurses' daily visits to the schools. In
February, 1922, it was resolved to continue such daily inspection.
The Council, in March, 1920, decided to maintain as an experiment three nursery
schools and one nursery class in existing public elementary school buildings and
three nursery schools in detached buildings. Numerous schools and sites were
inspected by the Council's officers, but, in consequence of the issue of Circulars 1185
and 1190, by the Board of Education, it was decided not to proceed with any of
the six proposed nursery schools except the Council's portion of the Rachel McMillan
nursery school. The position of the eight voluntary schools remained unaltered,
and also that of the nursery class at Christ Church school, Hampstead, already
established. (Closed 1926.)
In November, 1923, Dr. Hogarth reported on the effect of nursery schools on
the health of the children. The condition of children leaving the Hampstead and
Somers Town nursery schools to enter infants' departments was found to be superior
to that of the ordinary entrant. At the Rachel McMillan nursery school the weight
of the six-year-old children was appreciably greater than that of six-year-olds who
had been at Creek Road elementary school, in. the same neighbourhood, for three
years.
A proposal was made in 1924 for the establishment of six, and ultimately of
12, nursery classes in infants' departments in poor neighbourhoods. In October,
1924, the Central Care Sub-Committee considered the matter, but did not see
their way to taking any action at that time owing to the policy of rationing
expenditure.
In February, 1920, it was estimated that the cost of maintaining an attached
L.C.C. nursery school of 75 children would be £19 10s. per head, and of a detached
L.C.C. school £20 10s. per head.
The following table gives the average attendance and the percentage of cases of
infectious diseases at the various nursery schools in London.
At the time the Nursery Schools Regulations were issued the opinion was
universally held that there were great advantages from the point of view of immunity
from infectious disease in keeping their institutions small and isolated. Experience
has, however, shown that relative freedom from infectious disease bears no relationship
to the size of the school. The Rachel McMillan nursery school, with an average
attendance of 220, comes out of a strict comparison maintained over a period of a
year with as good a record as the schools with an average attendance of between
20 and 50.
Percentage of I
cases of Percentage Average
notifiable non- attendance,
infectious notifiable. 1925-26.
disease.
Goldsmith 14 18 22
Jellicoe 0 104 27
Kilburn Union Jack 4 0 23
Notting-hill 2 30 54
Rachel McMillan 4 30 220
Rommany-road — 58 26
Somers Town 2 7 42
Mary Ward 7 33 15
Children's House 4 25 23.5