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104
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
The population of the borough, estimated by the Registrar
General, was 140,550 at mid-1971.
In January 1972 the number of pupils on the registers of
maintained schools was 20,630 made up as follows:
Primary Schools 12,242
Secondary Schools 7,973
Nursery Schools 152
Special Schools 263
In addition it is estimated that 2,900 children attend
independent schools registered under Part III of the Education Act
1944, and 560 attend the direct grant school which is served by the
school health service.
The number of maintained schools in the borough on 31 December
1971 was 59: 13 secondary, 41 primary, 2 nursery, 3 special. One
direct grant school was included in the school health service under
the terms of Section 78 of the Education Act 1944.
Staff
The Medical Officer of Health and his deputy are also Principal
and Deputy Principal School Medical Officers and were assisted by two
senior and two other medical officers. The services of sessionally
employed medical officers are also used to maintain the programme of
fixed appointments at clinics and as reliefs for leave and sickness.
The health visiting staff consisting of a Superintendent
Health Visitor, a Deputy Superintendent and 30 health visitors carry
out the functions of school nurses, devoting about 20 per cent of their
time to duties in connection with the school health service.
Sessionally employed state registered nurses work with medical
officers at medical inspections in secondary schools, immunisation
sessions and general medical clinics, and are responsible for vision
testing of thirteen and sixteen-year-old pupils.