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81
Two senior pupils have come to us from the Markfield Unit
for Partially-Hearing Children in Tottenham. One is now taking
a Commercial Course and one is attending a County Secondary
School. Yet another senior girl came to us from a school for the
deaf in Leicester, and has also entered a normal school.
One boy from a Secondary School has been transferred to
Markfield Partially-Hearing Unit at Tottenham.
One little girl aged 3½ years is still awaiting admission to
a school for the deaf since last September 1966. A place was
obtained for her at this school from the commencement of the
summer term, but owing to the consultant's delay in granting
permission for special education this vacancy was filled and
no further children have been admitted to this school.
Two junior pupils and one senior pupil have left the
Borough.
Heads of schools have asked us to test the hearing of
various children, and where necessary we have referred these
cases to the Principal School Medical Officer for further
investigation and treatment.
Now there are two peripatetic teachers for the partiallyhearing
we have been able to greatly increase our number of
visits and service to the partially-hearing children in the
borough, and there is a very good liaison with both the medical
and education departments."
Handicapped
Children
Each year when I look at the tables of handicapped children
at the end of this report and the schools which they attend, I
feel a tribute is due to those Headteachers and their staffs
who accept and keep in their ordinary schools children whose
disabilities would easily qualify them for special educational
treatment.
I am not talking here of children with deficiencies of sight,
speech and hearing which require specialised techniques in
education. Unfortunately they must go to Special Schools so
they can benefit from small groups, specialist teachers and
sophisticated medical apparatus.
I am referring to the asthmatic children, children with
eczema, dwarfs, children with other orthopaedic deformities,
one child who for a time required treatment on a kidney
machine, a girl with a permanent colostomy, children with
epileptic fits not always perfectly controlled and many others
who live a normal school life because of the interest and compassion
of those who teach them.