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EDUCATION ACT, 1944 — SECTION 34
This Section of the Act requires the Education Authority to ascertain what children in its area
require special education. For this purpose it is necessary for the School Health Service to be notified
of young children who may come under this heading. For some years past an At Risk Register has
been kept of babies and young children who may require special education in the future.
This At Risk Register is compiled from information supplied by doctors, health visitors,
hospitals, etc., and the child is deemed to be At Risk if certain circumstances at birth are
abnormal. All children referred in this way in this Borough are given an exhaustive medical
examination and assessment of mental ability and a recommendation is made concerning the child's
future. Annual reviews, or even bi-annual reviews, are conducted. These build up a very
comprehensive background of the child's progress and prove invaluable to the Authority when
deciding on the type of education the child might need. It is important that the parents'
co-operation is obtained and the health visitors' support is invaluable. A large number of these
children will be found able, if some special provisions are made, to attend the ordinary primary
school.
However, there are many children who require education other than at an ordinary school. In
general, these children come within the ten categories of handicapped children enumerated in the
Handicapped Pupils and Special Schools Regulations, 1959. The manner in which these children are
dealt with educationally and medically within the Borough can be summarised as follows:—
Category A: Blind Children. There are only a few children in this category and these are
accommodated in boarding schools for blind children. It requires a special recommendation from
an ophthalmic surgeon for a child to be included in this category.
Category B: Partially Sighted Children. These children are likewise ascertained by an
ophthalmic surgeon. A few are accommodated in ordinary primary schools, with suitable provision
made; the others go to the John Aird School (at Shepherd's Bush) which is shared by other London
Boroughs.
Category C: Deaf. These are children who cannot be taught by methods involving the use of
hearing.
Category D: Partially Hearing. Children who by reason of impaired hearing are not able to be
educated in an ordinary school without special provisions being made. Children in these two
categories are examined by Dr. Fisch, previously Consultant Otologist to the Middlesex County
Council, now Otologist in charge of the Heston Hearing Clinic, Hounslow. All children in this
Borough who show evidence of loss of hearing are referred to Dr. Fisch and he advises on the
educational requirements of individual children.
Facilities in the Partially Hearing Classes at the School for the Deaf, Springwell Road,
Hounslow, and facilities in certain primary and secondary schools are shared with the London
Borough of Hounslow. This association with Heston Hearing Clinic is a much valued one and the
help given by Dr. Fisch and the courtesy extended by Dr. Lindon, Medical Officer of Health,
Hounslow, are much appreciated.
Category E. Educationally Subnormal. These are children who by virtue of their limited ability
require special educational treatment. It is fortunate that there is at present being built a special
school for this category of handicapped children.
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