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43
DELICATE PUPILS
In Day Special Schools 30
In Residential Special Schools 6
During the year seven pupils were found to be delicate and admitted
to St. Giles' School for this reason. Their disabilities varied from congenital
heart disease to severe asthma, causing frequent absence from ordinary
school. Some of these children may remain at St. Giles' for the rest of their
school career, but it is hoped that the asthmatic children will eventually be
fit to return to ordinary school. In no case was a child ascertained as delicate
in the generally accepted sense of the term. They had suffered from
recognised handicapping conditions.
HOME TUITION
If a child is not fit to attend any school, arrangements are made for home
tuition. Wherever possible such children are returned to a school as quickly
as possible, since it is recognised that social contact with other children is
an essential part of normal child development. During the year 16 children
were recommended for home tuition, and 13 are still receiving such tuition.
UNSUITABLE FOR EDUCATION IN SCHOOL
Eighteen children were ascertained as unsuitable for education in school
under Section 57 of the Education Act, 1944 (as amended by the Mental
Health Act, 1959). Of these children 14 had never previously attended a maintained
school, and 4 had failed to make progress despite a prolonged trial at
a special school. All the children were referred to the Health Committee, and
they were subsequently offered places in the various local Training Centres
or, in some cases, admitted to hospital.
Two children who had been ascertained previously as unsuitable for education
in school were reviewed under Section 57A of the Education Act, 1944
(as amended). In both cases it was found that the children were still unsuitable
for education in school.
IMMIGRANT PUPILS
I am grateful to Dr. Hilary Lennox for the following report:—
During 1970, 424 children were medically examined at St. James' House,
the receptive and educative centre for immigrant children.
A summary of findings is given overleaf:—