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The Centres report on the year as follows:
Hillingdon Junior Training Centre—Supervisor: Mrs. W. Bernas
"The year 1970 has been an extremely busy one. In February Lord Balneil performed the
official opening ceremony of the Centre, accompanied by local civic leaders. A buffet tea was
provided, and it was a very pleasant afternoon. There have been many visits during the year from
various colleges, schools and hospitals, and this is extremely good as people doing other work
become interested in the children, and see something of the problems and difficulties that have
to be met, and also how much that can be achieved with these children.
We had a very successful May Day Celebration attended by many parents and their friends.
This was a special event because for the first time Special Care Unit children were able to perform,
and the May Queen was a Special Care Unit child, and she was crowned by Mrs. Dobson. Also
one of the small playlets was performed by children of the Special Care Unit. In June there was
a meeting of a number of Medical Officers at the school and this enabled some who had not
visited the school before to view it.
At the beginning of July, the children's Sports Day was held and this was well attended
by parents and friends. During July also the SCU had their day's outing in the garden, and
thoroughly enjoyed the paddling pool and the sandpit, and the day in the open air. On July 13th
the nursery and the lower classes in the school went to Sunbury Court for their days outing. The
coach ride is not too long, and the facilities there are very good should it rain; and the children
are back in school in time not to disrupt the normal coach routes.
On July 16th the senior classes in the school went to Littlehampton. The outing was most
successful; all the children returned to their homes tired and happy, having sung their way to
and from the coast, paddled, and demolished a hearty picnic lunch, ice cream and lemonade.
On all these occasions the children behaved extremely well and one can be proud of them. The
coaches for both outings were paid for by the Parents Association.
During the Summer vacation some of the children went to Park Place School for the Summer
Camp with some of the staff, and enjoyed every minute of it. During the Autumn Term we were
very badly handicapped by the fact that we were extremely short of staff having as many as 5
staff away at the same time; and it was only just before Christmas that we had the full number of
staff in the school. This, of course, meant that the classes had to double up, and normal timetables
had to be abandoned. The staffing position is so tight that if only one staff is away it presents
many difficulties in keeping the school running smoothly. It is particularly noticeable at lunch time
when every pair of hands is needed either serving lunches, or after for playground supervision.
In addition there have been children who have been extremely difficult to incorporate in any class
because of behaviour problems and their bad habits. In October we held our Harvest Festival.
This took a new form and each child gave a gift to Father Alcock who took the service, and the
parable of the 'Sower' was enacted and Harvest Hymns were sung in which the parents joined.
This was enjoyed by the parents who as usual had tea, talked to the teachers and went to their
children's classrooms. The produce was afterwards distributed to various old people.
This term also we met Dr. Stuart Horner and Dr. Westworth whom we were very pleased
to make welcome.
This year Guy Fawkes Day fell in the half term holidays so the children did not have their
usual fireworks in the grounds or the usual cup of cocoa and biscuits. On December 9th we had
our Christmas play and Carol Service. The order of things was changed this year, and instead of
the seniors presenting the Nativity Scene it was enacted by the Nursery Classes. The parents
always come in good number and are very appreciative of the efforts of the children.
On the same afternoon a mini-bus for the use of mentally handicapped children in the Borough
was presented by Mr. Lawson of Magnetex Ltd., who is also the Chief Barker of the Variety Club
of Great Britain.
This year the school has been very lucky with gifts that have been given by various people,
organisations and clubs. These included a film projector and screen, electric organ and £5 of
sweets and £100 towards an internal communication system in the school. Speech training
equipment, 57 beautifully dressed dolls and a Christmas card for each child was sent by one of
the local church's Young People's Group.
The school was also given the proceeds of the Carnival Queen's Sponsored Walk which
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