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The staff consists of one Head Teacher, one full-time Assistant Master and four full-time
Assistant Mistresses. There are in addition three part-time Instructors—one for boot-making,
one for handicraft and one for domestic economy.
Three children were reported to the Local Control Authority as incapable of receiving further
benefit from instruction in the school; two were suitable for transfer to an ordinary elementary
school, and one was allowed to leave school.
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. 98 such examinations were made during 1930.
The school dinner is brought from Furness Road Feeding Centre, and served in the school
hall. On an average 70 children take dinner, and the remainder bring their own meal.
Oldfield Road Physically Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this
school is for 145 children. During the year under review the average number on the roll was 151.
The actual number on the roll at 31st December, 1930, being 150. The average attendance for the
year was 127, and there were 9 children awaiting admission at 31st December, 1930.
The school takes physically defective children between 5 and 16 years of age. The staff
consists of one Head Teacher and five full-time Assistants.
During the year four children were allowed to leave school before reaching the age of 16 years.
Nine children were allowed to attend ordinary elementary schools ; one child was transferred to a
residential institution.
The school dinners are brought from Gibbons Road Feeding Centre and are served in the
School Hall. Practically all of the children take the school dinners.
One Trained Nurse is attached to the school. She treats minor ailments as required, and
supervises the personal cleanliness and the care of the teeth and hair of the children. She arranges
for the repair of surgical instruments and boots. She also gives the children the medicines and
nutritive drugs ordered by the doctor, such as Syr. Ferri Phos. Co., Virol and Cod Liver oil.
The school is visited by the Certifying Medical Officer once a fortnight, and each child is seen
every six months. The parents are notified of any defects found which require attention.
The majority of the children at this school who are actually crippled attend periodically an
Orthopaedic Hospital or an Orthopaedic Department of a General Hospital; and in addition, facilities
for treatment of this kind are available at the new Stonebridge Health Centre, where a Specialist
visits twice monthly and one full-time Masseuse and one part-time Masseuse are in daily attendance.
Convalescence.—Convalescent Homes for children attending the Physically Defective
Schools are arranged by the Invalid Children's Aid Association and by the Shaftesbury Society.
The Stamford Hill Cripples Home has a branch at Thorpe Bay, near Southend-on-Sea, and this
institution admits Willesden children at a reduced rate.
The Education Committee have made arrangements with the Russell-Cotes School of Recovery,
Parkstone, near Bournemouth, for the reservation of places for 10 boys and 2 girls. This home
was provided by the donors as a country residence near the sea for poor town boys and girls who are
anaemic and debilitated, and who are physically defective within the meaning of the Education
Act, 1921 ; and it is recognised by the Board of Education as a Special Residential School. The
boys and girls are selected both from the physically defective and the ordinary elementary schools,
and the duration of the stay is six weeks, except in special cases when an additional six weeks' stay
can be arranged. All the cases which have been to the institution have shown a distinct improvement
on their return home. In all 48 boys and girls were admitted to the school during the year.
The Education Committee have now arranged the reservation of places for 12 girls at St.
Patrick's Open Air School, Hayling Island, Hants, and 8 boys at St. Dominic's Open Air School,
Godalming, Surrey. The children are selected both from the Physically Defective and the ordinary
Elementary Schools, and the duration of stay is six weeks. All the cases sent have shown a definite
improvement on their return home. In all 41 boys and 89 girls were admitted during the year.
The Education Committee also made arrangements during the course of the year with the
Middlesex Edward VII. Memorial Fund for the reservation of four places at Collington Manor,
Bexhill, for anaemic and debilitated children. The children are admitted at intervals of six weeks
during the months October to May. 8 children were admitted to this Institution during the year.
Work of the Willesden Branch of the Invalid Children's Aid Association, 1930.—
102 children were referred by the Health Department to the Invalid Children's Aid Association for
convalescence. The majority of these were suffering from anaemia and debility. In addition,
surgical appliances were supplied to 21 children. It is to be noted that the work of this Association
continuously increases. 181-new cases were referred as against 160 in 1929 and 137 in 1928.