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Physical and mental growth is stimulated at the nursery school and the training
the child receives there may be summed up as follows:-
(1) To provide healthy external conditions, light, sunshine, space and
fresh air. A great part of the day is given to an "in and out life"
leaving considerable choice to the children.
(2) To ensure a healthy, happy, regular life for the children as well as
continuous medical supervision.
(3) To assist each child to form for himself wholesome personal habits.
(4) To give opportunity for the exercise of the imagination and the
development of many interests as well as skill of various kinds.
(5) To give experience of community life on a small scale, where the
children of similar, as well as varying ages, work and play with
one another day by day.
(6) To achieve a real unity with the life of the home.
CONVALESCENT TREATMENT. Children are sent away mainly through the Invalid
Children's Aid Association. They usually require short-term treatment or a less
bracing climate than that of the Fyfield Open Air School. 197 children were sent to
convalescent homes in this way during the year.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS. The greater part of the work undertaken
by children in this Borough consists of newspaper and milk delivery and other errandrounds.
During the year the number of children medically examined for fitness for
employment was 86. All were found fit to undertake employment. The number submitted for
examination during the past four years has progressively declined, the numbers being 229;
132; 107 and 86 respectively. During the same period, 75 certificates of fitness were
granted for girls to participate in singing and dancing under the Entertainments Rules.
This number has remained fairly constant during the past three years.
THE SCHOOL-LEAVER AND EMPLOYMENT. One of the last duties which the School Health
Service does for a child on leaving school is to give the Youth Employment Officer an
indication of his fitness for employment. Where there is a handicap of such a nature and
severity as to come within the scope of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944, a
detailed report is made. This applies particularly to children in attendance at special
schools, which are visited towards the end of each term for the purpose of reviewing the
capabilities of the school leavers. During the year 7 reports were submitted on Form Y.10.
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