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PUPILS SUFFERING FROM SPEECH DEFECTS. These aye pupils who, on account of defect or
lack of speech not due to deafness require special educational treatment. Children suffering
from disturbances of speech need only be formally ascertained as handicapped pupils if the
disability is so great that they need special educational treatment - i.e., some modification
of the educational regime - as distinct from medical treatment. No children were ascertained
under this category during the year. An account of the work of the Speech Clinic appears on
pages 106 - 108.
CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM DUAL OR MULTIPLE DEFECTS. Children handicapped by more than
one defect often present a serious problem in arranging suitable education, as there are so
few schools which specialise in the education of children with dual disabilities. There is
a real need for further provision which can only be made on a national basis, since no
authority is likely to have more than two or three children with any particular combination
of disabilities. In the year 1954, two cases were known to the Authority. The particulars
are as follows:-
Elizabeth Fry Special School Physically handicapped, epileptic
1 boy, aged 10 years, and educationally sub-normal.
1 girl, aged 13 years, Physically handicapped (Alopecia)
and educationally sub-normal.
The first named condition is considered to be the leading defect, and determines the
educational needs.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
Special Schools, Nursery Schools and the Youth Employment Bureau are the responsibility
of the Chief Education Officer, to whom I am indebted for some of the material in these
sections of the report.
The Authority is responsible for the following special schools:
Name of School Purpose for which used
Gurney Educationally sub-normal
Elizabeth Fry Educationally sub-normal and
Physically Handicapped
West Ham School for the Deaf Deaf and Partially Deaf
Fyfield Residential Open Air Delicate children
school
ELIZABETH FRY AND GURNEY SPECIAL SCHOOLS
These two schools are considered together for the last time because the separation
of function which was proposed under the Development Plan, whereby Elizabeth Fry becomes
a school solely for physically handicapped children and Gurney caters entirely for educationally
sub-normal children was fully implemented in May. The educationally sub-normal pupils from the
Elizabeth Fry school were transferred to Gurney school on the 10th May and the extra-district
educationally sub-normal pupils in Gurney were withdrawn on 9th April with the exception of
four pupils due to leave the school at Christmas. The capacity of the two schools is:-
Gurney Educationally sub-normal 160
Elizabeth Fry Physically handicapped 100
The maximum numbers on the roll during the year were 159 and respectively of whom *+
educationally sub-normal and 14 physically handicapped were extra-district children.
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