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Youth Employment Officer has devoted much thought and time
to the problem, and it is felt that his giving informal talks and film
shows at the school has consolidated and reinforced the preemployment
training.
A new venture has been the most successful liaison with the
Ramsden Secondary School for Boys. Six senior boys from
Ramsden spend a day a week at Goddington and have completed
the new School Library which has started off with the gift of 200
books from the "Friends of Goddington School". It is hoped to
reach the target of 1,000 books by the end of 1967. The Ramsden
boys have made all the bookcases to accommodate the books and
the project has been so successful that it is envisaged to extend
these activities to the manufacture of the play apparatus for the
infant and nursery classes.
The school enjoys continuing and increasing support by the
community it serves. This support not only has been most
encouraging to the staff and beneficial to the children, but has
also produced the tangible result of £900 which is earmarked for
a school swimming pool.
St. Nicholas School, West Wickham
Number of children on roll—Boys 56, Girls 44.
Staff
Headmaster
Deputy Head
7 Assistant teachers (full-time)
1 House-Craft Teacher (part-time)
1 House Mother
1 General Assistant
The health of the children has been satisfactory. 80 per cent.
have taken advantage of the dental service and attended the
Hawes Down Clinic.
Speech Therapy
The therapy scheme whereby the class teacher gives special
help under the supervision of the speech therapist to children handicapped
with speech defects became more important than ever,
because due to staff shortage the monthly visits of the speech
therapist were not maintained.
During the year 16 pupils left on attaining the age of 16.
Eleven gained employment of various kinds; park and gardening
assistants, wrappers in supermarkets, assembly work and drycleaning
assistants; two went to training centres, and three are
still at home having refused facilities under the Mental Health Act.
The results of having nine autistic children in the school have
been most rewarding as regards their social adjustment and integration
into all the school activities.