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Oldfield Road Physically Defective School.- The certified accommodation at this
school is for 165 children. During the year under review the average number on the roll was 158,
the actual number on the roll on the 31st December, 1935, being 149. The average attendance for
the year was 133. There were no children awaiting admission at the 31st December, 1935.
The school takes physically defective children between 5 and 16 years of age. The staff
consists of one Head Teacher and seven full-time Assistants.
During the year 19 children were allowed to leave school before reaching the age of 16 years,
11 children were allowed to attend ordinary elementary schools, 1 child was transferred to Leinster
M.D. School, 4 children were transferred to residential institutions.
The school dinners are brought from Gibbons Road Feeding Centre and are served in the School
Hall. On an average 90 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
Orthopaedic 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 debiliated, 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 64 boys and 30 girls were admitted to the school during the year.
The Education Committee have also made arrangements for the reservation of places for boys
and girls at St. Dominic's Open Air School, Godalming, and St. Patrick's Open Air School, Hayling
Island, respectively. During the year the number of places reserved was amended from 11 to 4 for
boys and from 4 to 11 for girls, on account of the larger number of girls than boys awaiting admission.
The children are selected from both 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 62 boys and 52 girls were admitted during the year.
Defective Vision and Squint.—During the year 1935,7 children attending the Special Schools
were found to be suffering from errors of refraction (including squint). They were all dealt with
under the Authority's scheme. Spectacles were prescribed for 4 children and 3 obtained them under
the Authority's scheme.
Defects of Nose and Throat.—During the year 1 child attending a Special School received
operative treatment under the Authority's scheme, and 1 child received other forms of treatment.
Orthopaedic and Postural Defects.—During the year 21 children attending the Special
Schools were treated; 8 of these received residential treatment with education, under Section 80 of
the Education Act, 1921 and 19 non-residential treatment at an orthopaedic clinic under the
Authority's scheme. In addition 6 children received residential treatment with education under the
Special Schools vote.
During the year there were 174 Special School cases referred for following up with the view of
medical treatment being obtained, remedial measures carried out, or other action taken.
Work of the Willesden Branch of the Invalid Children's Aid Association, 1935—
141 new cases were referred to this Association during the year, 33 of these being referred by the
Willesden Health Department. The majority of the patients were suffering from anaemia and debility.
In addition 5 surgical appliances were supplied.
Stammering Children.—There are three classes for children suffering from stammering and
other speech defects, held twice weekly at Wesley Road, Leinster Road and Chamberlayne Wood
Road Schools, and conducted by Mr. A. D. Bradfield. The class at Leinster Road School consists
of boys, and the classes at Wesley Road and Chamberlayne Wood Road Schools include both boys and
girls. Each class lasts one hour and there is accommodation for 10 children. Cases of stammering
and other speech defects are referred to the Health Department for examination as to their suitability
for admission to a stammering class. After a period of treatment before discharge from the class,
the child is re-examined at the Health Department and has to satisfy the Medical Officer as well as the
special teacher before he ceases to attend. Cases of stammering are followed up for two terms after
they have ceased to attend the class, through the Head Teachers. Should a child relapse and the