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69
them very closely and make very detailed reports. However, the atmosphere in these rooms is far from
clinical, the two teachers and Welfare Assistants providing all the loving care that these children need and
in some cases have never experienced in a good home with sensible loving parents. Play is vitally important
and the way these children play or are unable to play is very revealing. Shortly after their seventh birthday
it is usually possible to decide the type of education most suited to their needs. Many of them transfer to the
E.S.N. Department of the school which consists of 72 boys and girls aged between seven and 12 years of
age. Here the accent must of necessity be on teaching the academic subjects such as reading. writing and numbers
as the children have little or no knowledge of the basic subjects on admission and our aim is to transfer
them to Woodfield Senior School with a good grounding in these subjects.
"We are constantly seeking ways and means of stimulating the children so that they find the work
interesting and will therefore be prepared to make the effort to learn.
"We are fortunate in having the visual and aural aids which help us to provide this stimulating
material. There is a teacher who was given a special post in April 1970 in charge of visual and aural aid
programmes. We use television programmes, and film slides, radio, tape recorders, record players, overhead
projectors, flannel graphs, magnetic board and the not to be despised blackboard. Many of our children need
a great deal of physical activity, particularly the children who live in restricted and poor housing conditions
and we have quite a number of these children.
"In addition to the routine P.E. classes, groups of 24 children go swimming every Wednesday morning
and during the year 20 children received swimming certificates. The school also has a football team,
nelball and rounders team and also the beginnings of a cricket team.
"There have been many highlights during the year such as the open evenings for parents and it was
very gratifying to see how many parents attended. We held a highly successful jumble sale, the proceeds
of which have enabled us to take the children to such places as Golders Hill Park and Kew Gardens; we
held a Sports Day at Malorees School field in June and of course from the children's point of view Christmas
was the most important celebration. The children made up their own concert and we had a Carol Concert,
a film show and a Christmas Party attended by Father Christmas (Father Christmas being one of our School
Coach Drivers).
"This was a happy ending to what I considered to be a quite promising first year at Manor School."
Other Day Special and Residential Schools
There were 28 Brent children placed outside the Borough at Day Special Schools, 17 at Montford
House, Golders Green, seven at schools in the Inner London Education Authority and in Harrow and four
children who live outside the London area but who are in care of the Children's Department and are living
with foster parents and attending Day Special Schools in their areas.
Twenty-nine children were placed in Residential Schools, 14 of whom are at Swaylands School,
Penshurst.
EPILEPTIC CHILDREN
The majority of epileptic children are well controlled by modern anti convulsant medication and
provide no problem in ordinary school. From time to time fits may become worse and admission is arranged
to Grove Park School until stabilization has occurred. In a minority of children however the fits are difficult
to control and associated behaviour problems may occur in which special schooling is required.
During 1970 three children with fits attended Grove Park School. One child was placed at Vernon
House, and one at Hazelbury School for Delicate Children in Enfield. There were two ascertained epileptic
pupils in ordinary school.
Four boys were placed residentially at Lingfied School, one at Colthurst House and one at St.
Elizabeths School, Much Hadham.
MALADJUSTED CHILDREN
The number of children ascertained as maladjusted continues to rise and at the end of 1970 there
were 187 children as compared with 150 the previous year. As a result of earlier referral and assessment more
children in the younger age group have been ascertained. This is excellent from the point of view of treatment,
as the earlier a child is given the special environment of a school for maladjusted children the greater
the chance of recovery and return to ordinary school. However, the 40 places available for this younger age
group has been inadequate and there was a waiting list throughout 1970 for places at Vernon House, our
primary unit for maladjusted children.
There were fewer referrals for day placement in the secondary age group but more for residential
schooling at this age.
Barretts Green Secondary School
This school can accommodate 40 pupils of secondary age. During the year there have been staffing
shortages which have limited some of the activities of the school. Many of the children referred at this age
present quite serious behaviour problems of an acting out and violent nature, which has created considerable
difficulties for the staff.
At the end of 1970 there were 24 children on roll and during the year 18 children were admitted and
nine left.
Regular case conferences were held at the school during the year, attended by the Head Teacher
and Staff, Child Psychiatrists, Psychologists. Psychiatric Social Workers and the Senior Medical Officer for
School Health.
Medical examinations were carried out during each term and referrals for further investigation of
defects found, or for treatment were made to General Pratitioners or to Local Authority Health Services.