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PUPILS SUFFERING FROM SPEECH DEFECTS. These are 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. Children who stammer or
who have other defects of speech are given special treatment at the speech clinics to
which they go while attending ordinary schools. The day special schools for physically
handicapped pupils and educationally sub-normal pupils are also visited by the speech
therapists so that any children needing the specialised treatment may have it. An
account of the speech clinic appears on page 134.
CHILDREN WITH 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 1955, three cases were known to the Authority. The particulars
are as followsi-
Elizabeth Fry Physically Handicapped Special School
1 boy, aged 11 years Physically handicapped, epileptic and
educationally sub-normal.
1 girl, aged 14 years Physically handicapped (alopecia) and
educationally sub-normal.
1 girl, aged 9 years Physically handicapped and educationally
sub-normal
jn addition two boys and two girls attending Gurney (Educationally Sub-normal) Special
School were ascertained as delicate and admitted to the West Ham Residential Open Air
School, Fyfield.
EDUCATION SERVICES
Close liaison with many of the education services is essential in the interests of
the health and well-being of the pupils.
Among those which present special considerations relating to physical or mental health
are the nursery and special schools, the youth employment bureau and also the remedial classes
for backward children mentioned on page 137 which come within the scope of the school
psychological service.
All these are the responsibility of the Chief Education Officer to whom I am indebted
for much of the material in these sections of the report.
SPECIAL SCHOOLS
The Authority is responsible for the following special schools!
Name of School Purpose for which used
Gurney Educationally sub-normal
Elizabeth Fry Physically Handicapped
West Ham School for the Deaf Deaf and partially deaf
West Ham Open Air School, Fyfield Delicate children
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