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183
Grovelands School, St. Paul's Cray
At the beginning of the year there were 116 pupils at
Grovelands, with 33 admissions and 29 leaving during the following
12 months. Much sadness was felt following the death of two small
girl pupils during the year.
Of those leaving, eight were transferred to Training Centres,
one to a Private School and one to a Residential School. Three
left the district, two were taken into care by the Kent County
Council, two pupils are undergoing training at Wadden Hall and
one is awaiting admission. Seven are in suitable employment; three
in factories, one in dry-cleaning, one as a machinist, one in a supermarket
and one in horticultural work. One child was admitted
to hospital.
Three members of the teaching staff left during the year. Mrs.
P. Moniz emigrated to Canada, Mrs. P. Johannessen left the district
and Mr. A. Stevens left to take up an appointment as Deputy-Head.
The school was pleased to welcome two new members to the fulltime
teaching staff.
There have been the usual routine medical inspections as
conducted throughout the Borough and in addition all new entrants
have been seen during their first term, regardless of their age-group.
Various special examinations were undertaken at the request of
staff and parents, including I.Q. checks with full leaving medicals
and mid-school I.Q. assessments for re-appraisal. There was a
small group for B.C.G.
The Welfare Assistants have conducted their usual parties to
Dental and Ophthalmic clinics and a few children were taken to
hospital.
The Speech Therapist has seen the children more regularly
recently and the Educational Psychologist has made frequent visits.
There were the usual varied activities with more frequent
outings made possible following the presentation of the mini-coach
by The Variety Club of Great Britain. The Zoo, London Airport,
Greenwich Museum and Bromley Town Hall were visited as well as
various short trips into the country. The seniors were shown round
several factories and a G.P.O. sorting office to give them ideas of
possible means of employment. A Puppet Show at St. Nicholas
School, West Wickham, was much enjoyed as was the annual Sports
Day held at Grovelands.
Activities within the school included the annual Harvest
Festival and Christmas Fair, a Folk Dance followed by the annual
Christmas festivities—the junior Christmas party was also attended
by a class from Ifield School, Gravesend.
The school was pleased to welcome a variety of visitors. The
Theatre Centre Co. gave an excellent performance of "The Clown",
and the Wilfred Smith Quartet gave a recital which the children