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30
PART III HANDICAPPED PUPILS
During the year under review the Ministry of Education and Science
completed a countrywide survey of the number and defects of handicapped
pupils in ordinary schools. The result is awaited with interest, but it does
serve as a reminder of the undoubted fact that most handicapped pupils
are in ordinary schools and, with the help of parents and teachers, are
enabled to remain there. Admittedly these children suffer in the main from
minor handicaps, but there is no doubt the survey may provide some
surprises.
Apart from these pupils there are 805 children in the Borough ascertained
as needing special schooling. This is an increase of 87 over last
year's figure, largely due to increased ascertainment of educationally
subnormal children in anticipation of the opening of the second day school
for this group in the Borough. The waiting list for special schools is principally
made up of two groups - the educationally subnormal and the
maladjusted, and when the two new schools for these groups are fully
operational in 1971 the number of handicapped children having to wait for
entry to special school should be small.
The number of pre-school children known to the School Health Service
as likely to require special education is 193 (Table 11). This is not comparable
to last year's figure as children below 2 years old are not included
this year. There is a marked increase in the two year old and four year old
groups and though, as mentioned in last year's report, there is a tendency
to over-estimate in some categories, the trend appears to be upwards. However,
it may be that this is due in part to better reporting following the combination
of the pre-school and school services in 1969, and it will be a few
years yet before Table 11 can be interpreted with complete confidence.
BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PUPILS
Blind Partially Sighted
In Residential Schools 9 3
In Day Schools • 22
Blind
One blind child was ascertained and admitted to a residential special
in the year under review.
Partially Sighted
Five children were ascertained in this category and four were admitted
to St. Luke's School, which at the end of the year had its full quota. However,
with the opening of St. Nicholas School, a classroom in St. Luke's being used
as an overflow for educationally subnormal children was emptied and will be