View report page

57
TYLNEY HALL SCHOOL
Tylney Hall caters for 130 mildly maladjusted and/or mildly delicate senior boys whose handicaps are
such that they do not require psychiatric support or special medical treatment—in fact, as 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 a change of environment in itself provides beneficial results. Those classed as
delicate are usually mild asthmatic cases, some with dietary problems (over-weight), or suffering from neuroses
due to home conditions.
The School is housed in a late 19th century family mansion formerly belonging to the Rotherwick
family, standing in over 100 acres of pleasant Hampshire countryside. The school estate comprises orchards,
kitchen gardens, boys' gardens and extensive playing fields and woodland areas. There are tennis courts and
an open-air swimming pool. The school is located about seven miles from Basingstoke, 12 miles from
Reading, and 45 miles from London. There are new motorways—the M.4 to the North, the M.3 to the South,
providing easy access to London and the West Country by road, and an excellent half-hourly train service
to Waterloo. The nearest railway station is Hook, and subsidised taxi fares are made available for resident
staff to and from the station for recreational purposes. Additionally the School has its own 15 seater mini bus.
The teaching establishment comprises 12, and in broad terms the curriculum followed is similar to
a conventional secondary school where, according to ability, boys may take the C.S.E. (Southern Board) examinations
in English, Literature, Mathematics, Art, Geography, History, General Science, Music, etc. Since all
classes are small, a good deal of individual or remedial work is also possible. There is also a strong musical
tradition in the school.
The School is geared to a ten class timetable structure—four classes following a four-year course to
C.S.E., five classes a more practical course, culminating in a year's day release course at Basingstoke Technical
College in constructional skills. There is a possibility that the C.S.E. classes may also follow a two-year
Engineering Course for external examinations at the Technical College as well. A practical work programme
will also be introduced on the School Estate—building, farming and rural studies.
The non-teaching staff includes eight full-time Residential Child Care Officers who are responsible
for the welfare of the boys during out-of-school hours. (The teaching staff additionally perform extraneous
duties of not more than 15 hours per week. These duties are connected primarily with semi-educational
activities.) Accommodation for the teaching staff can be either in flats or semi-detached houses on the estate,
or in bed-sitting rooms for single staff. The Residential Child Care Officers are provided with bed-sitting
rooms plus a communal staff room and utility room for the preparation of light snacks when off duty.
Additionally there is a Domestic Bursar responsible for catering and general supervision on the
domestic front, an Assistant Domestic Bursar with principal responsibility for boys' clothing, two Nurses and
full supporting domestic staff. There is also a School Engineer who, with a staff of Painter, Carpenter and
Handyman, is responsible for all routine maintenance of the buildings. The school estate, grounds and playing
fields are maintained by a staff of seven Gardeners.
Boys' accommodation is divided into two principal parts: the younger boys are housed on the junior
floor under the care of three Residential Child Care Officers. Boys normally stay here until approaching 14,
and then they move to the senior block where there are 78 boys in the care of five Child Care Officers. There
are quiet games and T.V. rooms for each section. Meals are served at a single sitting in the dining room,
and are supervised by members of the teaching or supervisory staff.
Accommodation varies from dormitories holding ten to small dual rooms in the Leavers' Block,
which boys enter in their final two terms here, and where emphasis is placed on self-reliance in preparation
for leaving. There is strong liaison with the Careers Officer from the London Borough of Brent over finding
employment.
After-school activities are well organised and include such things as The Duke of Edinburgh Award
Scheme, the Young Farmers' Club, Scouts, an Army Cadet Force Unit, camping and visits to places of interest
in the locality. Normally such activities are planned for a nightly two-hour session between tea and supper
during the school week, and for weekends in longer periods.
Boys are allowed home for one weekend in each half-term. These are generally arranged to coincide
with time off for their Residential Child Care Officers.
Parents are always welcome to visit the school, particularly at weekends, providing sufficient
notice is given. The Headmaster, his Deputy or Senior Master can normally be seen by appointment at
weekends.
NEASDEN AUDIOLOGY UNIT
Neasden Audiology Unit was established at the end of 1963 to provide a diagnostic follow-up and
supervisory service for children with hearing handicaps in Brent, Harrow and part of Barnet. This unit
together with Heston Hearing Clinic and Tottenham Audiology Unit provided a comprehensive service for
the whole of the Middlesex area. During the eight years since the formation of Neasden Audiology Clinic,
1,469 children have been seen in the unit. The majority of these children have required follow-up and many
have been seen at regular intervals for supervision of hearing loss for many years.
During 1971, 382 children were seen at the clinic and of these 144 were new patients and 86 of the
new patients were in the pre-school years.
Children are referred from doctors at child health clinics, school medical officers, paediatricians,
general practitioners and ear, nose and throat consultants. Early detection of possible hearing impairment
is carried out by screening tests performed by doctors in the child health clinics and if these tests are failed
or in doubt referral is made to the Audiology Unit for more detailed investigation and differential diagnosis.