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Oldfield Road Physically Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this
school is for 140 children. During the year under review the average number on the roll was 155,
the actual number on the roll on the 31st December, 1933, being 141. The average attendance for
the year was 129 and there were 35 children awaiting admission at the 31st December, 1933.
The school takes physically defective children between 5 and 16 years of age. The staff
consists of one Head Teacher and six full-time Assistants.
During the year 8 children were allowed to leave school before reaching the age of 16 years,
18 children were allowed to attend ordinary elementary school, 1 child was transferred to a residential
institution. 1 child obtained a scholarship at Pitman's College and 2 children were transferred to
Leinster M.D. School.
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 nutritive drugs ordered
by the doctor.
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
Orthopædic Hospital or an Orthopaedic Department of a General Hospital ; and in addition, facilities
for treatment of this kind are available at the Stonebridge Health Centre, where a Specialist visits,
twice monthly and the requisite nursing staff is in daily attendance.
Convalescence.—The Education Committee have made arrangements with the Russell-Cotes
School of Recovery, Parkstone, near Bournemouth, for the reservation of places for 9 boys and 4
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 55 boys and 27 girls were admitted to the school during the year.
The Education Committee have arranged the reservation of places for 10 girls at St. Patrick's
Open Air School, Hayling Island, Hants., and 5 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, 63 girls and 36 boys were admitted during the year.