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140
Of these 38 children 10 are suitable cases for a residential
institution. There is considerable difficulty, however, in
obtaining places for such children, and some of them would
no doubt profit by a day special school education, failing that
of a residential school.
Under Section 56 of the Education Act, 1921, the Local
Authority can deal with educable defective children either:—
(1) By establishing a Special School.
(2) By establishing Special Classes in ordinary schools,
which must be certified by the Board of Education.
(3) By sending the children to the Special School of
another Authority.
I consider that the time has arrived when one of these
measures should be undertaken in Ilford. The question is
likely to be more acute when the medical arrangements at the
Barnardo's Schools are settled. There are a number of children
at these schools who have been considered mentally
defective by the Medical Officer-in-Charge of that Institution,
and for whom the Ilford Education Committee will become
responsible. These will swell the total number of mentally
defective children, and it will be necessary to decide whether
to establish one Special School to which the children from the
Mossford Lodge School are to be sent, or to establish a special
school at Mossford Lodge to which Ilford children can be sent.
An alternative proposition would be to make arrangements
with the Barking Authority to admit mentally defective children
from the Ilford area to the Barking Special School.
Of the 38 children mentioned in the foregoing table, the
mental defect varies in degree, and the larger the school the
easier the grading of the children concerned.
Under Section 56 of the Education Act, 1921, if the
average attendance for a period of three years falls below 15,
the school may be discontinued upon representations received
from the Authority.
If the Committee is not prepared to undertake the establishment
of a Day Special School, I consider that Special
"Certified" Classes should be provided.
The importance of such a step, to mention only one point,
is that in the event of a mentally defective child not attending
either a Special School or a Special Class, there is no provision
under the Mental Deficiency Act for the notification to the
Countv Council for its supervision or institutional care after
it reaches the age of 16 years.
(4) Open-Air School.
The circular next deals with the delicate and pretubercular
child for whom an open-air school is required.
The Education Committee has, however, already decided
on the early provision of a school of this type, and it is therefore
unnecessary for me to report further on this matter.
24/8/1925.
Although in the above report I have laid stress on the necessity
of the provision of an Open-Air School and a school for
mentally defective children, and have perhaps minimised the