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137
The Committee has decided upon the provision of a rest
shed to the east of the present main building, and the plans are
now before the Board of Education, for approval.
Having regard to the type of child admitted, I consider that
the children have, generally speaking, shown marked improvement
in their health and physique since admission, a condition that
would not have resulted had they remained at an ordinary school.
In my opinion the school has well justified its existence. The children
at present at this school have been selected as the most urgent.
They therefore have needed a more lengthy stay than is usually
the case at Open-Air Schools. Those who will replace the children
discharged will probably not require such prolonged treatment.
A fact that must not be lost sight of in connection with the
Open-Air School, is that 9 of the children who were previously not
attending any school, are now attending regularly. As an instance,
one of these children had not been to school for over six years, and
yet since admission her attendance has been quite satisfactory.
A further analysis shows that 23 of the children, prior to admission
to this school, had very bad records from the school attendance
point of view. Many of these children were absent for lengthy
periods, but since admission to the school their attendances may
generally be regarded as very satisfactory.
Up to the end of 31st October, the average weekly attendance
percentage was 87.3, whilst that for the whole year was approximately
84 per cent.
Having regard to the type of child admitted to the Open-Air
School, I think the attendance records are, even from that point
of view alone, a criterion of the usefulness of the school.
As regards the educational progress of the children attending
the Open-Air School, the Head Teacher informs me that she has
carried out standardised educational tests (Northumberland) of
the children at six monthly intervals, and up to the present,
results show an average increase in mental age of 1-9/12 years