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3
Reconstruction of School Buildings.
The Director of education reports that the extensive building
programme of reconstruction would have allowed, but for the outbreak
of war, the completion the re.organisation scheme on Hadow lines
and provided complete modern facilities for all children from the
nursery stage to the new school leaving age of 15. As it is, all
but three of the buildings under construction or reconstruction
have now been completed.
The most careful attention has been given to the health of the
children in this building programme. Both natural and artificial
lighting has been greatly improved; the central heating has been
modernised and a domestic hot water supply installed; the
conveniences have been modernised and are connected with the
school buildings by covered ways; medical rooms with waiting
accommodation where possible have been provided and full modern
facilities for the feeding of necessitous children have been included
in the plan for each school concerned. Details of the construction
of gymnasia, changing rooms and shower baths are given in the section
of this report on physical training All these features have
rendered possible the highest standards of cleanliness and health
in the daily conduct of the school.
In all the modernised or reconstructed school buildings, nursery
classrooms have been incorporated. There are now nine schools
with such Nursery Wings, planned, to provide all that is needed for the
fullest physical and mental development of the child under five.
They afford a maximum of light and air, and there is in five cases
an outdoor playing space, distinct from the infants' playground,
including a sand.pit, lawn and flower beds, and providing space
for a climbing apparatus. In one case there is also a paddling pool.
MEDICAL INSPECTION.
Routine. Up to the end of July routine medical inspection of all
statutory age.groups v. as carried out. At Vale Road Nursery School
and Lancasterian Nursery Classes routine inspections took place each
term in accordance with existing arrangements. On the resumption of
education in the elementary schools early in December all children
in attendance who came within the prescribed age.groups, together with
the pupils due to leave at the end of the term, were examined.
Special. Besides the routine age.groups 6670 special cases were
examined.
FINDINGS AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL INSPECTION.
Nutrition. 1,068 children have attended the Nutrition Clinics,
which are held"on two sessions per week, Children whose nutrition was
below standard or who were considered to require extra nourishment
were referred to these clinics by medical officers, school nurses,
teachers and attendance officers. The home circumstanoes of these
children were carefully investigated and noted, and records of
periodic weighing and mearuring have been kept. Instructions
concerning diet and hygiene were given to parents, who were encouraged
to take an interest in these matters. Feeding centres were visited
by the School Medical Officers on 17 occasions, and dietaries have been
submitted to the School Medical Officer throughout the year. As
a result of close co.operation between this office and the Social
Services Officer who is responsible for the dietaries it has been
possible to add more variety to the menus than was formerly displayed,
without detracting from the food..vs.lue of the meals served.
Uncleanliness. The total number of examinations of children at
the cleanlriidbo "scurvey conducted by the school nurses was 65,269.
In 969 pediculior nits were detected. At the school clinics 261
children were dealt with and 48 verminous children were cleansed
by the school nurse
Clothing is generally suitable and clean. Footgear in a small
number of cases was found to be unsatisfactory„
Minor Ailments. Except for the continuation of the high incidence
of scabies there"was little variation from defects which have been
noted in previous years, bronchial catarrh, debility, impetigo, and
injuries forming the bulk of the cases dealt with.