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7
PART I MEDICAL INSPECTION IN SCHOOLS
The medical inspection of schoolchildren at fixed intervals
during their school lives has been an integral part of the
development of the School Health Service although in recent
years attempts have been made to create a system which would
involve the examination of a selected number of children only.
An experiment conducted during 1964 in one of the constituent
authorities suggested that although a selective scheme was
practicable in Croydon, it might well be less effective than the
present procedure. The following system of routine medical inspection
has been adopted in all maintained schools within the
Borough and in other schools which have requested it.
(i) Entrants
Children admitted for the first time to school and not
already examined as Entrants, i.e. normally between
5 years and 6 years.
(it) 8 Year Old Group
Children in their second year in a Junior School, unless
previously examined in the Junior School.
(iii) Entrants to Secondary School
Children in their first year in a Secondary School.
(iv) Final Leavers
Children in their last year of attendance at school
who have not been medically examined in that year.
(v) Special Cases
Children of any age whom the Head Teacher and parents
wish the Medical Officer to see at his next visit.
A number of improvements in the system of routine medical
inspection have been introduced as a result of last year' s
experiment. A reduction in the total number of children examined
at each session has allowed more time to be given by the school
medical officer to each individual child. (It is interesting to
note that a greater proportion of defects has been discovered
since this alteration and it is tempting to assume a causal
relationship). School medical officers have each an area in the
Borough in which they are responsible for the schools and most
of the infant welfare clinics, so that continuity of care before
and after the commencement of school life can become a practical