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TYLNEY HALL SCHOOL
Tylney Hall School caters for mildly maladjusted and mildly delicate boys whose handicap is such
that they do not require psychiatric support or medical treatment. In other words, so far as maladjusted boys
are concerned this is not a school for those who are seriously disturbed but for those whose maladjustment
is so mild that often the change in environment in itself provides most beneficial results.
Provided there is room the school may also accommodate some ordinary boarders.
The school is housed in a late nineteenth century family mansion (formerly belonging to the Rotherwick
family) standing in some 100 acres of pleasant Hampshire countryside. It is about seven miles from
Basingstoke, twelve miles from Reading and forty-five miles from London. There are extensive playing
fields, tennis courts and a swimming pool. The normal classrooms and craft rooms are supplemented by a
library, a hall (the original ballroom), a gymnasium and recreation rooms for leisure time activities.
The non-teaching staff includes full-time supervisors who, in conjunction with the teachers, are responsible
for the welfare of the boys out of school hours. Catering is dealt with by a superintendent who, with
matron and other staff, is also responsible for the boys' general welfare.
In broad terms the curriculum followed is designed to meet the needs of boys in secondary modern
schools. Since the classes are small a good deal of individual and group work is possible. Every advantage
is taken of the rural surroundings and craft-work, rural studies, gardening, etc., play an important part in the
school programme. The boys as appropriate take the normal C.S.E. and/or R.S.A. Examinations.
The after-school activities include such things as The Young Farmers' Club, Scouts, a cycling club,
craft clubs, Judo, and week-end camping during the summer. Visits are made to such places as Winchester,
Southampton and Reading.
The boys sleep in small dormitories, varying from three to twelve beds in size. Meals are served in
the large dining hall on small tables and are supervised by members of the staff. Special attention is paid to
the needs of delicate children. There is a resident school nurse and the school doctor is always available. The
boys attend local churches according to their denomination and clergy visit the school regularly.
There are normally two or three visiting days a term and parents are informed of the arrangements
directly by the school. The usual school holidays are taken at home including long half-term holidays.
The maximum number of boys to be accommodated is 130.
NEASDEN AUDIOLOGY UNIT
The Audiology Unit has continued in 1968 to provide a diagnostic, follow-up and supervisory
service for children with hearing difficulties in Brent, Harrow and part of Barnet.
During the year 449 children were seen, and of this number 132 were new referrals to the clinic.
These children are of all ages, and are referred to the unit from doctors in the Infant Health Clinics, in the
School Health Service, from General Practitioners and from Pediatricians, and from Nose, Throat and Ear
Surgeons in London hospitals.
Two clinics are held each week, one taken by the Consultant Otologist, Doctor Fisch, and the other
by the Senior Medical Officer, School Health, and present during these clinics are the Peripatetic Teacher for
the Deaf and the Audiometrician, who make up the team at Neasden.
A large number of children under two are seen at the Audiology Unit and this reflects the care
taken at Infant Health Clinics to detect possible hearing loss. All infants who may run the risk of a hearing
defect are examined by the clinic doctor between the ages of six and twelve months as part of a general
developmental examination at the local clinic. If there is any doubt about the infant's responses, referral is
made to the Audiology Unit.
As in previous years, the number of children waiting for appointments has increased and special
screening sessions have been held on several occasions to make preliminary assessment of a hearing loss and
to commence auditory training and supervision. Certain cases are given priority and are seen within a few
weeks.
Since the establishment of the Audiology Unit the number of children in ordinary schools known to
have a hearing defect has greatly increased. These children may wear a hearing aid or may manage by sitting
in a favourable position in the class. All these children are supervised by our two Peripatetic Teachers for the
Deaf who visit the schools.
The majority of those children ascertained as deaf and partially hearing and unable to attend ordinary
school are day pupils at the deaf schools in Heston and Tottenham and the partially hearing units attached
to ordinary schools in these districts. There they are supervised by Doctor Fisch.
It is hoped that next year Brent will be able to establish two classes for partially hearing children
attached to ordinary schools.
At the new school for physically handicapped children at Grove Park there are two special classes,
one for children with hearing difficulties and physical handicaps and the other a diagnostic class for young
children with communication difficulties who need a period of observation and further investigation before
recommendations for their future schooling can be made.
Pre-school children suffering from hearing handicaps are particularly in need of the opportunity and
stimulus of mixing with normally hearing children of the same age, and these children are placed in the day
nurseries. In 1968, 13 have been admitted to day nurseries and in total there are 17 such children in day
nurseries. The Peripatetic Teacher for the Deaf supervises the auditory training and progress of these preschool
children in the day nurseries, or if not attending the nurseries she visits at home.