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HYGIENE OP SCHOOL PREMISES
The Standards for School Premises Regulations, 1954, lay down scales of provisions
for cloakrooms, washbasins, water closets and urinal stalls and, in the case of county and
voluntary secondary schools, changing rooms and showers. In all county and voluntary
schools suitable accommodation should be available for dining and every school should have
sufficient and suitable kitchen accommodation. Sufficient and suitable cloakroom, washing
and sanitary accommodation other than that provided for the pupils, should be provided in
every school for the use of the teaching staff and the staff employed in the School Meals
Service. At a number of old schools these modern sanitary standards are not attained. A
few schools are still equipped with trough closets and although these, are outmoded every
effort is made to keep them in a sanitary condition, and it is likely by nest year they
will be replaced by modern sanitary fitments.
Medical officers when visiting schools for medical inspection do not confine themselves
to seeing the children but interest themselves in general hygienic arrangements
and the condition of the sanitary accommodation in so far as these may affect the health
of pupils and staff. For a number of years now the medical officers have conducted a
review of the hygiene of each school at the completion of their periodic medical inspection.
Although the detailed reports for each school are kept in the school health office any
observations made by the medical officer are sent to the Chief Education Officer whenever
necessary so that he can consider how far and at what stage it may be practicable to
implement any recommendations. Minor matters may be remedied as they arise but certain
improvements can only be implemented by inclusion in long-term plans. Liaison between
the Education Department and the Borough Engineer enables the medical officers' recommendations
to be interpreted into practical improvements to the school buildings or to the
various services accommodated In them. During the year 63 reports were made and dealt with
in this way.
It can appropriately be mentioned at this stage that In January the Primary Education
Sub-Committee recommended agreement in principle to the closing of spray baths in all schools
with the exception of Elizabeth Fry and Gurney special schools. It is gratifying to believe
that the cleanliness of the children has improved sufficiently to make this possible.
THE WORK OF THE SCHOOL NURSES
NUTRITION In connection with nutritional surveys I reported in 1949 that "The
ideal was a terminal Inspection although a six-monthly inspection would be considered very
satisfactory." At this time inspections were carried out at approximately once a year for
most of the pupils and this was continued in the years 1950, 1951 and 1952. In 1953 it
was decided to abandon the idea of aiming at a terminal of six monthly inspection and to
continue the annual survey as in previous years and this was continued in 1954. At this
time it was felt that with the maintenance of a good standard of general condition among
the children it might be possible that a still further lengthening of this interval or
even abandonment of the surveys could become acceptable with corresponding release of
school nurses' time for other purposes. Following a further review during the course of
the year the Committee approved the termination of regular weighing and measuring of the
children as from the end of October, with the exception of those due for periodic medical
inspection and certain special cases.
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