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(ii) School for the Deaf.—Mrs. I. J. M. Burt, the Head
Teacher, reports as follows:—
In January 1948 there were 18 pupils in the school—14 boys
and 4 girls. Their ages ranged from 3 years 2 months to 11 years
1 month.
Of these 18, one was partially deaf, 16 were totally deaf and one
was severely retarded mentally and only partially deaf.
One partially deaf child was admitted in June. She was very
backward indeed, but this was due entirely to her inability to follow
instruction in a large class of a school for normal children. She has
made rapid progress in the understanding, speaking, reading, and
writing of language, and her progress in number work is only a little
less rapid. She has become an expert lip-reader, and when she has
attained the standard of a hearing child of her age, and when she
is in possession of a hearing aid, she should be able to take her place
in a school for normal children. At present we feel she is better in
this school, until her confidence in her own ability is more firmly
established. Her attendance at this school has been of very great
benefit to her, but her association with the totally deaf would be to
her detriment.
In September, 1948, a totally deaf boy was admitted who has
been in residence at the Royal Schools for the Deaf, Margate. He
is boarding in Walthamstow so that he may attend a day school.
The numbers, therefore, at the end of the year were 15 boys
and 5 girls, of ages from 4 to 12 years.
My predecessor, Miss Mitchell, left during the year to become the
Headmistress of Tunmarsh Lane School for the Deaf, West Ham.
(iii) School for the Physically Handicapped.—Mr.
Williams, the Head Teacher, reports as follows:—
The work of the school has continued at the Hale End site,
some adjustment of accommodation taking place owing to the removal
of the Partially Sighted School to Wood Street. This enabled us
to take more advantage of open air activities when the weather
conditions were favourable.
This year an experiment was made in the summer holiday when
the school was opened on a voluntary basis for a fortnight; it was
felt that the long vacation broke the continuity of medical supervision.
The attendance was maintained at over 90 per cent during
the whole period and was of undoubted benefit to the children.
Parties of Students from Training Colleges and Student Health
Visitors visited the school during the year.