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NURSERY SCHOOLS AND CLASSES. The authority now has four Nursery schools. Children
in attendance are examined quarterly and the results are set out below:
Number found to Percentage found to
Number examined require treatment require treatment
864 166 19.10
When the children were examined for the first time during the year, their general
condition using the Ministry of Education classification, was assessed as follows:-
Number examined Good Percentage Fair Percentage Poor Percentage
354 209 59.1 135 38.1 10 2.8
The great reduction in the percentage of poor general condition from 7.4 in 1951 to
2.8 this year corresponds with the reduction noted in connection with periodic inspections
in primary and secondary schools and is probably due to the personal factor of the examining
medical officers.
Examinations were also carried out at four nursery classes - Carpenters Road, New
City, Grove County Primary and Tollgate. The following figures relate to medical inspections
at these classes:-
Number found to Percentage found to
Number examined require treatment require treatment
273 56 20.51
The child's general condition when examined for the first time during the year was
assessed as follows:-
Number examined Good Percentage Fair Percentage Poor Percentage
141 79 56.03 60 42.55 2 1.42
Here again there is a reduction in the figure of poor general condition, from 7.5 to 1.42.
The defects which are most frequently found at the medical inspections are bronchitis
and catarrhal conditions of the upper respiratory passages, and enlarged tonsils and
adenoids.
The importance of medical supervision of nursery schools lies in the opportunity to
detect the earliest beginnings of disease at a stage when remedial measures are comparatively
easy to apply and may prevent the development of more serious trouble.
The nursery school is to some extent an observation centre, both medically and
socially, where the progress of health and development of character can be carefully watched
and guided in the child's best interests.
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