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SCHOOL HEALTH
Dental service
Section 48
Education Act 1944
Section 4
Education (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 1953
Dental inspection and dental treatment were provided under the relevant legislation.
Nine clinics in the borough have dental suites with a total of thirteen surgeries, one surgery being
used exclusively for orthodontics and three for the dual purpose of dentistry and orthodontics. All
premises are fitted with up-to-date equipment, including air turbine high speed instruments and, for
greater convenience, all anaesthetic apparatus is standard throughout (Walton), as also are the X—ray
machines.
Following the visit by one of its dental officers to review the borough's dental services, the Department
of Education and Science reported that "The Authority achieves a good inspection performance
with nearly all of the school population inspected on an annual basis" and also that the pattern of
treatment remains good. It was further stated that clinics are generally well maintained; but despite
this, it was possible for certain improvements to be undertaken in the course of the year. A modern
dental unit was installed at Albany Clinic; chair conversions were effected at Southbury Clinic; and
double glazing (to minimise traffic noise) and a controlled air vent were introduced at Silver Street
Clinic.
Unfortunately, there was a sharp decrease in the number of sessions devoted to dental health education.
This was due largely to the fact that the Department was without the services of a Health
Education Officer during the greater part of the year. Education in dental health is, of course,
practised by the Department's dental officers as part of their normal work — mainly within the
confines of their surgeries.
The Council's Wavendon House residential special school in Buckinghamshire was visited. All the
pupils were inspected and simple conservative treatment carried out.
In the relevant statistical table detailed information is given in respect of dental inspection and treatment
and also on the orthodontic service. See Table (53).
Handicapped pupils
Education Act 1944
A local education authority has the statutory duty of ascertaining what children require special
educational treatment and providing for their special education. Special educational treatment is
provided in the special schools maintained by the borough, by other local education authorities and by
voluntary bodies.
The categories of handicapped pupils defined under the Handicapped Pupils and Special Schools
Regulations 1959 and 1962 are:
(a) Blind — No children were ascertained during the year
(b) Partially sighted — Five children were ascertained during the year: three were placed in day
special schools and two are awaiting placement
(c) Deaf — One child was ascertained during the year but left the district before placement
(d) Partially hearing — Two children were ascertained during the year and are attending ordinary
schools where they are supervised by a peripatetic teacher of the deaf
(e) Educationally sub-normal — Ten children were ascertained during the year, including two with
dual handicaps: eight were admitted to special schools and two are awaiting placement
(f) Epileptic — Three children were ascertained during the year including one with a dual handicap:
two were placed in special schools and one is awaiting placement.
(g) Maladjusted — Thirteen children were ascertained during the year: nine were placed in special
schools and four are awaiting placement
(h) Physically handicapped — Eighteen children were ascertained during the year: twelve were
placed in special schools; one was placed in a day nursery; four are awaiting placement; and one
left the district before placement
(i) Speech - Two children were ascertained during the year: one was admitted to a special school
and one to a special language class on a part-time basis
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