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156
School Psychological Service
I am grateful to Mrs. P. Preston, Senior Educational
Psychologist, for the following report:—
This year the demands on the School Psychological Service
have shown a healthy growth which although desirable, have taxed
the two Educational Psychologists very heavily indeed.
There has been the usual number of individual investigations
carried out. Some 370 children of all ages were examined in the
schools and another 300 children were seen at the various Child
Guidance and Hospital Clinics. In addition to this normal load
the School Psychological Service has contributed extensively to the
Borough's experimental procedure for the early detection,
examination, and consideration of the slow learners amongst its
4,000 top infant population. This experimental procedure together
with the formation of a Panel system has brought the Assistant
Medical Officers, the Head Teachers, and the Educational
Psychologists in a unique working situation of close co-operation
which should prove most rewarding.
As a result of the experiment the School Psychological Service
has had to investigate individually some 300 seven-year-old children
and 200 of those would have been considered by the Panels of
Assistant Medical Officers, Head Teachers and Educational Psychologists.
The School Psychological Service has appreciated the help
of the Assistant Medical Officers in this project.
Apart from the undertaking of individual investigations, the
School Psychological Service has advisory and counselling responsibilities
with respect to the various special units within the
Borough, and these too are growing.
The Leeson's Infant Opportunity Class was first started by
the Head Teacher of the School, Mrs. Welbourne, four years ago.
It is now well established and caters for 10 to 12 children from
5-7 years old who have various educational, social and psychological
difficulties.
Next year another Infant Opportunity Class will become fully
operative in the summer term at Ramsden Infant School. Mrs.
Peirse the Head Teacher of the School will have 10 children on
roll and the School Psychological Service will advise on selection
to the class.
The Goddington Infant Diagnostic Unit was started three
years ago and caters for 10 children of Infant School age who are
borderline educable. With three years of experience to back him,
Mr. Anderson, the Head of School, now considers that it would
prove advantageous to extend the scope of the class so as to
include children with a wider range of handicap and to perhaps
lower the age of entry. His proposals need consideration.