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29.
as educationally subnormal pupils. Taking the usual duration
of school attendance as 10 years this means that each year 75
children will fall into the special class category and 15 will
need placement at the Special School.
Many schools have already established their own classes
for dull and backward children and it is not suggested that
the present scheme should be extended to cater for 750 children.
Nevertheless, as will be seen from the results achieved,
these classes are doing such valuable work that an extension
of up to 150 places would be amply justified if teachers and
class rooms could be made available. In our view it is most
important to consider the children in the junior school age
range from 7 11 years, of which about 300 fall into this
category, since intensive help at this age. especially in
reading, will enable them to derive much more benefit from
the rest of their education, whereas a dull child who
transfers to a secondary modern school still unable to read,
is hopelessly handicapped.
In a circular (11/61) dated July 3rd this year on
Special Educational Treatment for Educationally Subnormal
Pupils, the Ministry of Education has suggested:
(a) The provision of special classes at selected
schools to cater for children from an area wider
than their normal catchment,
(b) The employment of suitable peripatetic teachers to
advise and assist ordinary schools,
(c) The establishment of remedial classes or centres
to help temporarily retarded children,
(d) The establishment of diagnostic centres, especially
for very young children who appear to be exceptionally
handicapped.
The Walthamstow special classes, which have already been
in operation for three years, are designed to cover both (a)
and (c) of the Ministry's recommendations and it is hoped to
start a diagnostic centre at Wingfield House for the purpose
in (d) above. The provision of special classes largely
obviates the need for peripatetic teachers specialising in
remedial education (b) especially if, in the larger schools,
a member of the staff could undertake some remedial sessions
each week.
The Circular gives details also of the provision of
Special School places for the educationally subnormal which
has been increased from 11,000 in 1946 to 34,500 this year
but states that despite this increase the numbers awaiting
admission remain remarkably constant at 12,500 The Ministry