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65
SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICE
(W.H. Toms, M.B., Ch.B.(Edin.), Principal Medical Officer)
The Plowden report recommended that children should be examined
before school entry so the treatment of any handicapping condition could
be commenced as early as possible, and any special educational needs
considered by doctors and educationists working together.
This type of examination developmentally angled is more time consuming
than the usual examination after school entry so it was decided
in implementing this proposal to limit the number of children seen to
eight in a session, each session to be held at a Child Health Centre.
The candidates for this earlier and extended examination are taken from
those children attending Toddler Clinics - about 20% of the four year
olds in the Borough. In practice a large pilot scheme is being operated
and the great majority of young children are.still seen for the first time
after their admission to primary school.
Special attention is being paid to communication with the schools
when children are examined before entry. When handicap is present or
risk of handicap exists the school nurse or health visitor is responsible
for putting the headteacher fully in the picture.
Entrqnts to a large mixed secondary school are now being examined
on a selective basis using a questionnaire to the parents devised by Dr.
J. A. Howell, one of our Senior Departmental Medical Officers. The completed
questionnaires are considered along with reports from the school
teaching staff and the school nurse and a list of children for examination
compiled, From this very small sample it would appear that about 30% of
pupils should have a medical examination. As this group is one of high
risk more time is given to each child than would be the case if all
children in that age group (12 years) were to be examined.
I should like to thank the teaching staff of Caterham School for their
co-operation in this project.
School Roll &
Premises
The school roll on 31st December, 1969 was 32,702. These children
attended 95 schools and the figure includes 77 at the Ethel Davis School
for physically handicapped children.