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of experienced campers and I feel that it is time to extend them in less protected surrounds than
they have hitherto experienced. I have in mind a number of days in the rugged North Wales
countryside or learning to canoe or sail in the West Country. My major problem is expense; the
Authority provide a generous extra mural allowance, but I am always concerned that I do not
spend a disproportionate amount on any one group.
At the end of last term, all classes spent a day on an educational visit—either to Madame
Tussaud's, Windsor Safari Park or Whipsnade Zoo. In addition, a party of senior children were
invited to accompany Chantry School to the Royal Tournament.
Early in the year, Mr. Fenner and I went on a Plastics Course. This medium seemed to us to
be of great relevance to our needs and plastics now play a large part in the practical work of the
school. We also have started stone tumbling and the children have produced some very professional
looking articles of jewellery. I think this is the great value of these crafts—the end result is nearly,
if not quite, as good as work produced professionally and we can thereby give the children pride
in work produced.
On the 23rd September a day's course was held at this school on building a canoe in fibre
glass. This was attended by teachers from all over the Borough. This course was most successful,
particularly as we kept the canoe which was made! We are now intending to make some more
and I hope to include a canoeing course in next year's activities.
We contributed to the Centenary Exhibition at Townfield School on 19th October, 1970.
We were visited by a party of the Education Committee on Monday, 5th October, 1970.
A party of girls visited the West End shops as part of their domestic science activities.
Throughout the year we have had visits by teachers from other schools and our staff have,
in turn, visited other schools. These visits are mutually helpful—they keep us in touch with the
main stream and help other teachers in discussing special education with parents.
Teaching Machines
One of our pupils attends daily the Centre for Learning Disabilities, St. Matthews School,
Nelson Place, N.1, to work with the Talking Typewriter. This boy has had exceptional difficulties
in learning to read and we await the results of this protracted experiment with interest.
At the end of the year we obtained for a term's experiment a Talking Page. This is a simpler
machine for teaching reading. It is designed mainly for primary schools and has not been widely
tested with educationally subnormal children."
HEDGEWOOD DAY SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR E.S.N. PUPILS
I am grateful to Mr. O. G. Best for the following report:
"The School opened in September 1968, and children are admitted because they are unable
to cope with the normal demands in schools. The education offered is child-centred and progressive
in outlook. Help in academic school subjects is given by encouraging the child to work individually
or in small groups. Many children lose confidence in themselves because they have experienced
failure. New experiences which they will enjoy and in which they will not experience any failure
are offered in an attempt to make education relevant to their needs.
As the approach to education is so different from that received by the parents, every encouragement
is given to them to visit the school. Parents know that they are welcome at Hedgewood at
any time to discuss matters with the class teachers or the Head, and they are invited to see the
children at work using the latest teaching aids. There is a Parent/Teacher Association, and in 1970
a dance was held at the end of each term as well as a monthly club during the Winter. The many
activities of the Association have proved to be an interesting experiment in Parent/Teacher
relationships, and has been most worthwhile.
There are a wide variety of extra mural activities for the children, and the staff run a variety
of activities at lunch-time and at the end of school. In addition to day outings this year some of
the older pupils spent another long week-end at a residential school in Worcestershire. In the
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