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HANDICAPPED CHILDREN
FAIRCROSS SCHOOL
This has been rather a disturbed year for Faircross School, partly because
of the pending redistribution of pupils, and partly because Miss Storm, the
Headmistress, retired in September.
The E.S.N, group of children were due to be transferred to Bentry after the
end of the year, and the P.H. and O.A. children were to be moved into the new
Faircross School, which was completed towards the end of 1965-
Thus, the total number of children on the register is lower than usual
because no E.S.N, children were accepted after the summer holidays, the purpose
being to avoid a second change of school so soon after admission.
Miss Storm, who retired in September, had taught in the school for 29 years,
and had been Headmistress for 15 years. Our relationship with her had always
been of the most cordial, and we were very sorry to see her leave. She
invariably attended the weekly S.M.I.'s and supported us loyally in every
possible way. Every medical officer who worked with her had the greatest
admiration and respect for her. Nothing was too much trouble, and we particularly
appreciated her wonderful understanding of the children and their problems.
In spite of all our efforts we had only the intermittent use of a speech
therapist, and we were still without a physiotherapist. Children who required
this latter facility had to attend their own hospitals, except in the case of
one or two where Mr. Hynd was able to help on Ross Ward, Barking Hospital.
I am indebted to Mr. A. Burke, Deputy Headmaster, for the following comments
on the work of the school
"1965 saw the closure of the old Faircross School. As might be expected
the uncertainty about the future made recruitment of staff difficult, and the
replacement of teachers who left through illness or for family reasons was
considerably hindered. Nevertheless, there was still a great deal of
activity.
As well as the classroom work, there were visits to museums, factories
and theatres. The trip to Boulogne, the third of its kind, proved to be the
most interesting. The coach driver who took us round had been brought up in
England and was able to tell us a great deal about life in France.
Mr. Burkhill, from the County Advisory Staff, used some of our pupils
as a demonstration class for the teaching of music. Under Mr. R. Norman,
both the Choir and Orchestra performed well at the Dagenham Festival.
At a reception - attended by over 240 persons - held when Miss Storm
was presented with a testimonial from the authority by Mrs. Engwell, we met
again many former pupils. This sort of meeting indicates a measure of our
success in our work which is both social and educational.
Although severely understaffed in the Autumn term, we still sent
children to see plays and ballets, and one teacher attended a short course
on hygiene.
Almost the last activity of the old school was the Carol Service and
Nativity Play."
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