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33
Nursery and Infant Deaf and Partially Hearing Units,
Kingsley Infants' School
At the beginning of the year, there were 19 children attending the two
units. Although their hearing losses fell into 3 groups (severely partial 7085
db. severely deaf 85 - 100 db and profoundly deaf 100 + db) the children
were divided into 2 classes:(1). The Partially Hearing Unit and (2) The Deaf
Unit. The staffing in these units was comprised of 2 qualified teachers of the
deaf each with a qualified assistant.
During the year changes occurred. Two infant children were transferred
to the Junior Units. A multiple handicapped child was sent to the spastic's
centre and another was fully integrated into the top class of the infants'
school. Three children moved from the Croydon area; one child was recommended
and admitted to Margate, and a severely deaf child was accepted into
Ovingdean, the Partially Hearing School.
One of the qualified teachers left at the end of the year, which was a
great loss, not only for the children, but the units as a whole.
Throughout the year the children have gone out once a week for shopping
and the local shopkeepers have been most friendly and co-operative. It is hoped
that other outings and visits can be made in the future. The children's progress
in these units has been satisfactory, and the work done here has been appreciated
by the parents who are most co-operative. Audiometry is done within the
unit as necessary. Hearing losses range from 70 db to over 100 db and can be
called severe partial to profoundly deaf. However, by a combination of stimulating
teaching and the best possible use and maintenance of all available auditory
equipment most of the children demonstrate wonderfully improved discrimination
of speech sounds by hearing alone.
School staff carefully maintain the children's hearing aids with the
generous help of the Public Health Department and St. Helier's Hospital who
give every possible support. We also make regular checks upon our main
equipment and call upon maintenance services when necessary. We make every
effort to see that our older equipment is effective or improved. Recently our
Amplivox trainers have had new headphones and it is now known the Technical
Department of the R.N.I.D. endorse our views.
New Unco and Speechmaster trainers have been in use this year while the
staff have worked upon the design of a simple home trainer now approved as
safe by the R.N.I.D. Ten trainers have or will be made to the basic design, and
it is hoped five will be used by the Kingsley Unit.
The new Health Service aid type 0166 has been withdrawn as a failure. A
member of the Staff has been invited by the Minister of State concerned to
contribute his views and practical proposals for a new review of hearing aid
provision. It is thus hoped Croydon can help, a little, deaf people everywhere.