London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
London County Council 1951
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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89
Pupils on school rolls
At the end of 1951 there were 290,335 children of primary and secondary school
age in County schools, 98.545 in voluntary or assisted schools, 10,196 in nursery
schools or classes and (5,471 in day special schools ; a total of 405,547 pupils.
Medical Inspections
Medical inspections made during the year, with comparable figures for the three
previous years, are summarised in the following table:—
| 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| Nursery | 8.953 | 5.7 | 10,021 | 6.2 | 11,294 | 6.5 | 12,320 | 7.1 |
| Entrants | 37,793 | 23.8 | 40,287 | 24.8 | 41,598 | 24.1 | 45,324 | 26.1 |
| 7 year old | 26,222 | 16.5 | 29,541 | 18.2 | 32,607 | 18.9 | 34,597 | 10.9 |
| 11 year old | 32,961 | 20.8 | 31,725 | 19.6 | 33,037 | 19.2 | 31,415 | 18.1 |
| Leavers | 26,817 | 16.9 | 26,382 | 16.3 | 27,464 | 15.9 | 27,272 | 15.7 |
| Other ages | 23,558 | 14.9 | 22,115 | 13.6 | 23,742 | 13.8 | 19,952 | 11.5 |
| Special schools | 1,581 | 1.0 | 1,633 | 1.0 | 2.143 | 1.3 | 2,215 | 1.3 |
| Training colleges | 648 | 0.4 | 465 | 0.3 | 543 | 0.3 | 533 | 0.3 |
| Total | 158,533 | 100.0 | 162,169 | 100.0 | 172,428 | 100.0 | 173,628 | 100.0 |
| Speoial inspections* | 107,844 | — | 110,026 | — | 119,901 | — | 122,302 | — |
| Re-inspections | 88,243 | — | 87,915 | — | 106,350 | — | 112,667 | — |
| Residential schools | 7,920 | — | 9,845 | — | 10,44! | — | 9,961 | — |
| Total | 204,007 | — | 207,786 | — | 236,692 | — | 244,930 | — |
| Grand Total | 362.540 | — | 369,955 | — | 409,120 | — | 418,558 | — |
* These are non-routine inspections of a miscellaneous nature and include pupils urgently
brought to the attention of the school doctor, inspections for employment certificates, for school
journeys and holiday camps, admissions to special schools, periodical inspections of handicapped
pupils (for their special defect), etc.
The school population is still expanding under the influence of the post-war rise
in the birth-rate and as a result medical inspections in 1951 reached the highest
total since the war. Children seen at routine inspections formed 42.8 per cent. of
the total of 405,547 on school rolls.
The percentages of these children who were referred for treatment (other than
for infestation or teeth) compared with the preceding years were:—
| Age Group and Sex | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursory | Boys | 16.2 | 16.5 | 15.1 | 16.4 |
| Girls | 14.4 | 14.5 | 13.0 | 14.4 | |
| Entrants | Boys | 19.1 | 18.7 | 17.8 | 17.4 |
| Girls | 16.5 | 17.2 | 16.5 | 15.3 | |
| 7 years old | Boys | 21.8 | 21.6 | 20.4 | 19.8 |
| Girls | 21.2 | 20.6 | 19.7 | 18.6 | |
| 11 years old | Boys | 19.0 | 18.8 | 17.5 | 16.5 |
| Girls | 21.4 | 20.4 | 18.8 | 18.2 | |
| Leavers | Boys | 14.8 | 14.4 | 13.6 | 12.2 |
| Girls | 20.3 | 18.9 | 16.0 | 16.6 | |
| Other ages | Boys | 19.6 | 18.0 | 17.1 | 16.1 |
| Girls | 23.3 | 23.6 | 21.5 | 21.7 | |
| Total Boys and Girls* | 19.3 | 18.9 | 17.6 | 17.0 | |
* Exclusive of special schools and training colleges.