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(j) Delicate — pupils not falling under any other category who by reason of impaired physical condition need a
change of environment or cannot without risk to their health or educational development be educated under
the normal regime of ordinary schools.
The ideal situation is to keep as many children as possible within the ordinary school system, even the severely
handicapped. The authority must be prepared to experiment, such projects require close co-operation between the
Education and Health Departments.
Pupils handicapped by severe blindness or deafness are normally educated in special schools.
Children with handicaps in other categories may attend ordinary schools with special consideration where
necessary. The vast majority of children with speech defects are educated in ordinary schools and most children
suffering from epilepsy or diabetes are able to be educated in ordinary schools.
Where appropriate arrangements cannot be made for handicapped children in ordinary schools, or where the
child fails to maintain reasonable progress, or is unhappy because of his disability, arrangements are made for
education in day or residential special schools.
As the number of children with more than one disability who do not fall clearly in one category is increasing,
there is special need for facilities to assess each child's total handicap and to provide the appropriate special
educational treatment.
Home tuition may be arranged on a temporary or permanent basis for children who are unfit for education at
school.
Children who are in hospital for prolonged periods are given help from the hospital school.
In the Appendix will be found a table, for which I am indebted to the Chief Education Officer, showing the
number of pupils newly ascertained as handicapped, and newly placed in special schools during the year; and the
distribution of ascertained handicapped children and the number awaiting placement on 20 January 1972.
Special School Provision
(a) Day Special Schools

The children attending the partially-hearing units require special teaching because of their hearing difficulty, but
are otherwise fully integrated with ordinary school life.
Because the Moselle School is housed in temporary accommodation and cannot accommodate all children who
require its facilities, 145 children are now attending special schools out of the Borough. It is hoped that this
situation will be resolved when the new school building is opened in the near future.
Partially-sighted pupils who require day special schooling are placed mainly in the Joseph Clarke School,
Walthamstow or New River School, Islington and delicate pupils mainly at Hazelbury Open-Air School, Enfield.
During the year two children of nursery school age attended a special class for children with difficulties of
communication, held at the Wolfson Centre, Mecklenburgh Square, W.C.1.
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