§ Mr. G. Darlingasked the Minister of Education how many special schools, and how many places in these schools, are provided for mentally defective and backward children, respectively, in Sheffield; and how many further schools and places are needed to provide for all such children in Sheffield.
§ Miss HorsbrughLocal education authorities have no power to provide education either in special schools or elsewhere for mentally defective children. For educationally sub-normal children there are four day special schools in Sheffield providing a total of 450 places. In December, 1952, the local education authority also had 13 educationally subnormal children at boarding special24W schools maintained by other authorities. The authority estimated in their development plan that the area would need two boarding and six day special schools for educationally sub-normal children providing a total of 840 places for the more severely handicapped. The less severely handicapped must be given special educational treatment in ordinary schools.