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SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICE
I am grateful to Mr. D.R. Barraclough, Chief Education Officer, for the
following report on the School Psychological Services-
This Service, which is part of the Education Department, has been hampered
in the past by unsuitable buildings and by the fact that its staff was too small
for the demands made upon it. In 1969, however, the School Psychological Service
moved to St. Paul's Wood Hill where, for the first time, it had a place of its
own and adequate accommodation. Pull-time clerical assistance was allocated to
the Service and, in the financial year 1970-71, the number of educational psychologists
is to be increased from two to three.
Children are referred to the educational'psychologists by schools, by
hospitals, by Child Guidance Clinics, by the Principal School Medical Officer
and, of course, by the Chief Education Officer. Problems of learning and underfunctioning
are by far the main causes of referral by schools. The behaviour
problems are more commonly referred through the clinics. The intelligence quotient
range is similar for children from all sources with the boys perhaps presenting a
wider range of levels than the girls. In general, the children seen are in the
lower half of the normal distribution for intellectual development.
The educational psychologists have continued to be consulted over the
selection procedure for secondary schools and have undertaken a survey of the
remedial provision in reading and other basic skills in those schools. The screening
of the top infant slow learners has become a well-established practice. In 1969,
122 infants were the subject of further investigation. Thereafter, thirty were
discussed at three co-ordinating panel meetings and twenty-three were recommended
for placement in special schools. The year brought increased liaison with the
teachers of maladjusted children and with the teachers of remedial reading who
make up the tutorial unit. The work of this unit has been affected by the prolonged
illness of Mrs. Waite, and her untimely death in December 1969 greatly saddened
all those who knew her and the quality of her work. The educational psychologists
have also continued to give help at the Borough's four special schools.
During 1969, a fourth special opportunity class was opened. These classes,
which are valued by parents because they form part of normal schools, now exist
at Churchfields Primary, Leesons Infants', Raglan Infants* and Midfield Primary
Schools. They provide education for children between the ages of five and seven
who have serious learning or behaviour difficulties or who need a substantial
diagnostic period in a school situation. The development of these classes, which
do not exist elsewhere, is greatly to the credit of Mrs. Preston, the Borough's
Senior Educational Psychologist.
AUDIOLOGY SERVICE
Further development and satisfactory integration continued in this Service.
During the year arrangements were made for a further six Medical Officers to
attend the Short Course on "The Diagnosis and Treatment of the Deaf Child" at the
Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre.
Two Medical Officers have particular responsibility in this field and I am
happy to submit this report which can be considered as follows:-
a) Routine Medical Inspections now include a sweep frequency test and those who
fail are followed up with a threshold test. In the 5-6 years age group we wish
to identify those children suffering from catarrhal deafness, a condition very
common to this age group and a real handicap to the child, particularly if it is
unsuspected. Those requiring treatment are then referred to local Ear, Nose and
Throat Consultants, with the concurrence of the family doctor.
Routine audiometry at the 10 and 14 years inspection would pick up any new
cases of defective hearing from whatever cause. Early cases of otosclerosis, the
deafness which affects adults and for which treatment has been developed in the
postwar years, may be detected at the school leavers inspection, and are indeed
sought, if the family history is positive. Audiometry at this stage also provides
a base line of adult hearing for each individual, which, in this age of noise
induced deafness, could prove a useful reference later.
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