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17. FULL-TIME COURSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR
BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND
EPILEPTIC STUDENTS
The Authority for the provision of such courses is the Essex
County Council.
18. NURSERY SCHOOL
Miss F. D. Harris, Headmistress, reports as follows :—
"Attendance was exceptionally low during January and February,
when many children had chicken-pox and influenza. There
were also several cases of bronchitis.
"Our health record was very good during the summer apart
from a small outbreak of dysentery in June. Fortunately this
developed over a week-end, and the number of cases was confined
to ten."
The Medical Officer for the Nursery School, Dr. J. P. Werren,
reports as follows :—
"The Nursery School has eighty-four pupils aged 2-5 years and
there are seventy-five awaiting admission.
"Most of the pupils are normal healthy children admitted at
their parents' request, but a few have been recommended on medical
grounds for emotional disturbances related to lack of sufficient
scope for play at home. These have benefitted greatly, though two
of these children were referred to the Child Guidance Clinic for
their persistently aggressive behaviour which was a menace to the
other children.
"Each child has an annual medical inspection and the health of
the children is excellent on the whole, the catarrhal child with
recurrent upper respiratory tract infection being the most common
medical problem encountered. The proximity of the Nursery School
to the Markhouse Clinic permits of close liaison between the teaching
and medical staff.
"The response to diphtheria immunisation is good and, at the
last medical inspection, only four children had not been immunised.
"The school is built on the open air principle and the children
spend most of their playtime out of doors. The play space is, however,
inadequate for eighty-four children and this was commented
upon when H.M. Inspector visited the School.
"The menus are planned by Miss Harris, the Head Teacher,
and the food is cooked on the premises. The meals are well balanced
and the food attractively served, and it is not unusual for the
children to ask for second or even third helpings. No mid-morning
drink or snack is served but they have a milk drink on arrival at
school.