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must play in this treatment is defined. Sometimes the educational need is met by special arrangements
being made in the normal school but frequently the child is recommended for special
education in a day school for the maladjusted or indeed in a residential school. The type of school
recommended is decided by the Child Psychiatrist who leads the child guidance team and an
ascertainment is made with the agreement of the parents.
There are two day schools for the education of the maladjusted pupil in this Borough:
Townsend House School, a junior establishment for children up to the age of about 11 years
and Chantry School for the senior pupils.
Townsend House Day Special School for Maladjusted Children
I am grateful to Mrs. J. M. Clarke, Headmistress, for her report on this school.
"This is a small school for infant and junior maladjusted children which opened in January
1969. There are at present 18 pupils on roll, from five to eleven years of age.
The children at Townsend House have all failed in the normal school situation and have
been prevented from learning by their emotional difficulties. They fall, roughly, into two categories:
the aggressive "acting out" children and those that are timid and severely withdrawn. The staff,
then, are faced with the task of helping the children to adjust, and at the same time, providing a
climate in which they may not only succeed in the basic skills, but also be stimulated by a sense
of achievement, which they have not experienced hitherto.
A close contact is maintained with parents, both directly and through the services of the
Child Guidance Service."
Chantry School for Maladjusted Pupils
I am indebted to Mr. R. Cambell for the following report:
"Our roll at the end of the year was 34, 30 boys and 4 girls. We always have a preponderance
of boys—probably because their symptoms are more overt.
Our turnover during the year was 22, 10 going out and 12 coming in. Two returned to normal
schooling, full-time, one part-time, and the rest to work. The newly appointed Careers Officer has
been most helpful in placing the leavers.
We have had a very active year. The children co-operating in a positive manner, we had
fewer incidents and very little damage to property or person. We paid many visits to factories,
museums and art galleries. We followed nature trails in Black Park and Langley, and canoed,
camped, rock climbed and went Youth Hostelling. We entered a "float" in Hayes Carnival; displayed
Art and Craft at various exhibitions; went to the Theatre; watched the Lord Mayor's Show; chugged
along the canal on the Pisces narrow boat. The children made up a concert party and went round
to several schools giving a "show" which helped the Christmas festivities along and raised
much laughter.
In short, we tried in many ways to build up trust, self-confidence and self-discipline in
children who were beginning to lose a zest for life.
Academic work has not been neglected. One boy achieved three "0" Levels, two others
joining a bank staff, and one girl starting a Nursery Nurses Course.
We hold a Club night once a fortnight for old pupils. Many come and keep us in touch with
all their problems, and so help us in planning our programme and revising our aims for the next
generation!"