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Leinster Road Mentally Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this school
is for 90 children, and during the year under review the average number on the roll was 98, the actual
number on the roll at 31st December, 1925, being 104. The average attendance for the year was
84. There were no children awaiting admission to this school at the end of the year.
The staff which was reduced by one full-time assistant in 1923 remains at one Head Teacher
and three full-time assistants. Arrangements were made for the provision of a part-time assistant
to train a class of boys in bootmaking, and this assistant started work early in 1925. There are in
the school 35 boys over 11 years of age suitable to attend this class, but the number to be admitted
is limited to 8, leaving 27 boys for whom no provision has been made. Owing to the loss of the fulltime
assistant teacher in 1923, it has been found necessary to cut down the time given to instruction
in handiwork by more than one half. In order to provide sufficient vocational training, the services
of a full-time instructor in manual work is required. This would allow of a class of eight boys receiving
instiuction for 4 hours per week. At present the hall of the school is used for manual work which
is not a satisfactory arrangement and more accommodation is required.
Two children were reported to the Local Control Authority as incapable of receiving further
benefit from instruction in the school, 2 were reported as Imbeciles, and 1 was reported as incapable
of being instructed without detriment to the interests of the other children, 3 with a view to being
placed under guardianship, 1 was allowed to leave school, and 1 was transferred to a residential
institution.
The certifying officer visits the school weekly for the purpose of revision of classification and
for medical examination of the children. The parents are notified of any defects requiring attention.
89 such examinations were made during 1924.
The school dinner is provided at the Granville Road Mission. On an average 35 children take
dinner, 30 bring their own lunch, and the remainder go home.
Furness Road Physically Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this school
is for 60 children, and during the year the average number on the roll was 49, the actual number
on the roll on the 31st December, 1925, being 53. The average attendance for the year was 41 and
there are no children awaiting admission.
This school takes the physically defective children over 12 years of age, the younger children
attending Leopold Road Physically Defective School. The staff consists of one Head Teacher and
one full-time assistant. The Head Teacher also acts as Head Teacher for the Junior School, the
latter being in the care of an Assistant-in-Charge.
The school premises at this school are unsatisfactory from several points of view. The class
room is situated between two playgrounds which are used by the children attending the ordinary
elementary school, and the following time-table shews how much the work of the physically defective
school is being interrupted:—
10.30 a.m. Commencement of the Physically Defective School's morning
session.
10.30 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. Playtime for Furness Road Ordinary Elementary School.
12 noon. Ordinary Elementary School dismissed.
12 noon to 2.0 p.m. Games in the playground, e.g., football, netball.
1.0 p.m. Dinner hour for the Physically Defective School.
2.0 p.m. Ordinary Elementary School re-assembles.
2.30 p.m. Physically Defective School re-assembles.
3.0 p.m. to 3.15 p.m. Playtime for the Ordinary Elementary School.
During every day that the weather is fine, drill and organised games for the pupils attending
the ordinary elementary school are held in the back playground. These drills and games are held
both during the morning and afternoon sessions and are of 20 to 30 minutes duration.
More accommodation is required. As a minimum two ordinary class rooms ought to be provided
with a rest room, a work room and a dining hall. At present a part of a cloakroom is improvised
as a Doctor's and Nurse's room, which is unsatisfactory.
During fine weather it is desirable in a physically defective school to conduct the classes in
the open air. Owing to the playground at this school being also used by the ordinary elementary
school it is not possible for this arrangement to be carried out.
During the year 3 children were transferred to ordinary elementary schools and 1 was allowed
to leave school before reaching the age of 16 years.
The school dinner is provided at the Furness Road Feeding Centre. 28 children have their
dinners there, 8 bring their own lunch and the remainder go home.
Leopold Road Physically Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this school
is for 40 children. During the year the average number on the roll was 45, the actual number on
the roll on the 31st December, 1925, being 45. The average attendance for the year was 39, and
there were 4 children awaiting admission at the end of the year. The staff consists of two assistant
teachers, the senior being in charge. The dinners are brought from Strode Road Feeding Centre and
are served in the Laundry Centre of Leopold Road School. All the children take the school dinners.
The lack of a heating apparatus for the Doctor's room has now been remedied, a gas stove having
been provided. An inside lavatory is required as some of the younger cripple children are unable
to proceed to the outside latrine unescorted. During the year 7 children were transferred to ordinary
elementary schools.