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64
At the end of 1969 there were 36 Juniors and 149 Seniors in Woodfield and 30 children on the waiting
list for admission. During the year 37 children left the school, the majority of these reaching school leaving
age at 16 and the others either as removals to other areas or schools in other districts. Three children
reached a scholastic standard which enabled them to return to ordinary school.
Children are only admitted to Woodfield Special School after careful consideration both educationally
and medically. A full assessment is made by the Educational Psychologist on referral of a child either by
the Head Teacher or other source and this is followed by a full medical examination when all the information
from the Head Teacher, the Educational Psychologist, and medical specialist, if involved, is considered
before making a decision concerning the child's need for special education. Following admission to Woodfield
School the staff and Head Teacher periodically review the children's progress and refer for further assessment
those children they consider may be suitable for transfer to ordinary school again or to other special education.
The health of the children at Woodfield is carefully supervised both by regular medical examinations
and by special examination at the request of the Head Teacher or pupil's parents. For any further treatment
or investigation referrals are made to General Practitioners or to Consultants at Hospitals with the General
Practitioner's permission. Children are referred to the Local Authority Eye, Dental, Orthopaedic, Ear, Nose
and Throat or Audiology Clinics and these provide an excellent service for detection and treatment of defects.
Many of the children at Woodfield have speech defects and the speech therapist attended the school
for six sessions a week.
The School Nurse attended the school regularly and gave health education talks to the children.
Other Special Day and Residential Schools
Thirty-three Brent children attend other Day Schools for Educationally Sub-Normal Children at
Montfort House, Golders Green, Oak Lodge School in East Finchley, the Shaftesbury School in Harrow,
Marjorie Kinnon School in Bedfont, Hedgewood School, Hayes, Northway School, Barnet and St. Hubert's
School and Holly Court in the Inner London Education Authority.
There are 15 Brent children placed at residential special schools, 11 boys at Swaylands School.
Penshurst and four girls at Clay Hill House Hostel, Enfield.
There were 13 Brent children placed in independent residential schools.
epileptic pupils
The majority of children with epilepsy remain in ordinary schools and their seizures are well controlled
by modern medication. Occasionally however these children suffer from frequent and more serious fits
and require supervision during the day that is not possible at ordinary schools. Sometimes these children may
be placed at day schools for delicate children or at Grove Park School for physically handicapped children
when the fits are associated with a physical handicap. On occasion admission may be arranged temporarily
to Grove Park School while medication brings the seizures under control and the child subsequently returns
to ordinary school.
Residential school is arranged for children with more serious difficulties.
At the end of 1969 there were four epileptic children at Grove Park School and four children placed
residentially at Lingfield Hospital School in Surrey. One child was receiving home tuition.
maladjusted children
The number of children at the end of 1969 ascertained as maladjusted had risen since the previous
year from a total of 113 to 150, This number did not include all the children who attended our two Day
Special Schools for Maladjusted Children (Barretts Green and Vernon House) as many were placed there
informally.
Sixty-nine of the 150 ascertained children were placed at Residential Schools for Maladjusted Pupils
and at independent Residential Schools accepting maladjusted children.
A number of children who were thought to be mildly maladjusted were placed at Brent's Residential
School, Tylney Hall.
Barretts Green School
The children attending Barretts Green School are of secondary school age and at the end of 1969
there were 15 boys and girls on roll, many of whom were seriously disturbed and required considerable individual
attention. The school will accommodate 40 pupils and it is likely that in the next year this number will
be reached. With the increase in the number of staff and pupils during the year the provisions for a full
curriculum became easier and by the end of 1969 a wider range of activities was provided.
Vernon House School
This school is situated in Willesden Lane and originally housed the Willesden Education Offices.
The building has been extensively adapted to accommodate 40 children o f primary school age who have
behaviour difficulties which are interfering with their learning abilities in ordinary schools.
At the end of 1969 one classroom of ten children was still being occupied by the Special Infants
Class but this is expected to be transferred to the Manor School in 1970. The extra classroom is badly needed
as there is a waiting list of children requiring placement at Vernon House. By the time these children have
been referred for problems of maladjustment they are very much in need of help and waiting for a place adds
to their difficulties and creates a greater problem in their management when they are admitted.