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Pupils are placed not only in the Council's special schools, but in voluntary and
independent schools, some receive tuition at hospital schools and others receive
individual tuition at home or in hospital under section 56 of the Education Act, 1944.
The number of pupils receiving special educational treatment as physically handicapped
on a day in September, 1957, at the different types of establishment quoted was
as follows :
L.C.C. day special schools 1,118
L.C.C. boarding special schools 151
Voluntary, etc., boarding schools 66
Hospital schools 373
In addition, individual tuition was being given to 62 pupils in their own homes, and
33 pupils in hospitals, at which there were no permanent teaching arrangements.
The figures include pupils who are the responsibility of other local authorities,
whilst there are some London children who are being educated by out-county authorities
(e.g., by the Surrey County Council at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children, Carshalton).
Comparison with earlier years
Surveys similar to that carried out in 1957, the results of which are given in Table (i),
have been done from time to time, but not on such a rigorous basis of classification.
An attempt has been made in Table (ii) to compare the findings of the 1928, 1951 and
1957 surveys as representing the pre-war, settled post-war and current positions. Only
broad comparison by combination of some categories is possible because of the differing
basis of classification used in the three surveys. In the table the numbers recorded are
also shown as percentage distributions, and as rates per 1,000 of the total school rolls,
and some of the major changes in the percentage distributions are illustrated in
Diagram A.
Any consideration of the changes shown in Table (ii) must be made against a background
of knowledge of the differences which have occurred since 1928 in the attitude
of both the education and school health services towards the physically handicapped
child. The current aim is to fit the child emotionally as well as physically and academically
into a normal environment at as early an age as possible, because it is such an
environment that will have to be faced when the child eventually leaves school. Today
a child is sent to a special school only if it is essential and, when it is, a return to the
normal environment of an ordinary school is arranged as soon as possible. Moreover,
medical knowledge has improved during the 30 years under review. Improvements
in diagnostic techniques, new drugs and better treatment, have reduced the incidence
of some diseases and the severity of the sequelae of others. On the other hand similar
improvements which have reduced infant mortality over the period have at the same
time increased the chances of survival of the congenitally handicapped.
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