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Regular medical examinations were carried out at the school during 1970 and the children were
periodically assessed concerning their progress and the need for any further special treatment. Close liaison
was maintained with specialists in charge of the children at the various London hospitals. Vision and hearing
are regularly tested and a consultant ophthalmologist visits the school twice a term.
The orthopaedic consultant attended the school several times a term and any corrective surgery
required was carried out at Stanmore Orthopaedic Hospital.
The children from the two special classes with hearing handicaps and other partially hearing children
in the school were supervised at Neasden Audiology Unit by the consultant otologist.
Three full-time physiotherapists provided treatment in the large physiotherapy department and the
adjacent hydrotherapy pool. Children who were able also visited swimming baths with the school.
The School Nurse who is in full-time attendance at the school is supported by welfare assistants
who help with the care of the children.
Mr. Scott, the Head Master of Grove Park School, has contributed the following account of the
activities there in 1970.
"Grove Park School, opened in 1968, caters for a maximum of 120 physically handicapped children
and 12 children with severe hearing loss and additional handicaps.
"The children, chiefly between the ages of five and 16, vary in type and severity of handicap but
the aim of the teachers, therapists, nurses and welfare assistants is to develop to the full the physical and
educational potential of each child. Many of the children are able after a time at the school to return to
normal schools but facilities exist for all staying on at school to reach a good standard of general education and
to take the usual examinations. Small classes enable the children to receive individual attention and each
child progresses as his own rate.
"Visits to places of interest are encouraged, each class arranging its own programme of visits, and
parties are taken to the State Cinema orchestral concerts and the Saturday morning Robert Mayer concerts
at the Royal Festival Hall. Art work is entered for the many local and national exhibitions and many successes
gained, often in competition with non-handicapped children.
"In physical activities, archery and swimming are very popular with the children and many swimming
certificates are gained each year. Annual Sports Day with other similar schools in London are arranged
and greatly enjoyed by children, staff and parents.
"A strong Parent/Teacher Association exists and in its first year has provided the school with
Hall curtains, three electric typewriters and a cine projector.
"Unfortunately, except for a small assessment class of partially hearing children, the school is unable
to admit children of under five years of age but plans have been approved for addition of a nursery class
and this we hope will be provided in the near future. Plans have also been approved for an additional classroom
to be added to the school and this addition we hope will ensure that physically handicapped children of
statutory school age will not have to take their place on a school 'waiting list'."
Residential Schools for Physically Handicapped Children
There were six children placed at residential schools, one each at Coney Hill School, Kent; Tylney
Hall; St. Dominies; St. Michaels, Eastcote; and two children at Welburn Hall, Yorkshire.
CHILDREN WITH SPEECH DEFECTES
Speech and communication difficulties in young children are an increasing problem in the Borough
and many children in the Special Schools have this defect in association with other handicaps.
The major proportion of speech handicapped children attend ordinary schools and have speech
therapy at the Local Authority Health Clinics. At the end of 1970 there was a total of 1,095 children
requiring help with speech, mainly boys who constitute 798 of this total. Two hundred and ninety-seven of
the children were under the age of five years.
DELICATE AND DIABETIC CHILDREN
At the end of 1970 there were 64 children ascertained as delicate, 44 boys and 20 girls. Nineteen of
the children are placed at Day Schools, at John Keats in Wood Lane in the Inner London Education Authority,
at Hazelbury School in the London Borough of Enfield and at Grove Park.
Thirty-four were placed at Residential Schools, Tylney Hall, Suntrap School Hayling Island, St.
Dominic School Surrey, Elmers Court Lymington, Park Place Henley on Thames, Port Regis School Broadstairs,
St. Patrick's School Hayling Island, at St. Stephen's School Kent, Fairfield House and George Rainey
School.
Diabetic Children
Two diabetic children were placed at Palingswick Hostel in Hammersmith in 1970 and attended
ordinary school in the Inner London Education Authority.
During 1970 the British Diabetic Association carried out a survey with the co-operation of the
Health Department and the Education Department in Brent to ascertain the number of diabetic children
attending ordinary school and as a result 30 children were found. Many but not all of these children were
already known to the School Health Department.
Special education is not required for diabetic children and providing teaching staff are fully
informed about the condition there is no reason why these children should experience any difficulty or the
staff any anxiety when attending ordinary school.