HC Deb 30 April 1965 vol 711 cc97-100W
Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what consideration has been given to schemes for educating deaf children in Essex and Hertfordshire, respectively, alongside children with normal hearing; and what provision for this exists in either county at the present time;

(2) why the proposals submitted to him by the Essex Region of the National Deaf Children's Society for the establishment of a special department for 80 to 100 deaf and partially hearing children at Burnt Mill Comprehensive School, Harlow, were not accepted.

Mr. Crosland

No scheme for educating deaf children in Essex and Hertfordshire alongside children with normal hearing has been under consideration other than that submitted by the Essex Region of the National Deaf Children's Society. No such provision exists in either county. The proposals referred to were made during the life of the previous Administration and were for consideration by the Essex local education authority in the first instance. I understand that they were not accepted primarily because there are sufficient places in existing schools which are more conveniently located for the majority of their pupils than a school situated in Harlow.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about his policy towards proposals for educating deaf and partially deaf children in special units attached to normal primary and secondary schools; and which local authorities provide such units.

Mr. Crosland

I support the development of special facilities enabling children with defective hearing to be educated in ordinary schools where this is in their best interests. For the majority of children properly classified as deaf pupils, the régime of an ordinary school is unlikely to be suitable. At the most recent return the following local education authorities were providing special classes for partially hearing pupils at ordinary schools:

England
Bedfordshire. Bolton.
Buckinghamshire. Bournemouth.
Cambridgeshire. Brighton.
Cornwall. Bristol.
Derbyshire. Coventry.
Devon. Croydon.
Dorset. Ipswich.
Durham. Kingston-upon-Hull.
Essex.
Gloucestershire. Leeds.
Hampshire. Luton.
Herefordshire. Leicester.
Hertfordshire. Lincoln.
Kent. Liverpool.
Lancashire. Manchester.
Middlesex. Newcastle.
Norfolk. Norwich.
Northumberland. Oxford.
Northumberland. Portsmouth.
Shropshire. Reading.
Surrey. Salford.
Sussex West. Sheffield.
Warwickshire. Southampton.
Wiltshire. Southend.
Sunderland.
London. York.
Bath.
Wales
Carmarthenshire. Cardiff.
Glamorgan. Newport.
Monmouthshire. Swansea.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the nature and what is the estimated cost of the provision to be made for the education of partially hearing children in Harlow, Essex; how many places are to be provided; what will be the catchment area; how partially hearing children will be defined; and what facilities are to be provided for other children without normal hearing within the area.

Mr. Crosland

The local education authority intends to provide two special classes for up to 20 partially hearing pupils at Burnt Mill Comprehensive School to serve Harlow and other areas within reasonable daily travelling distance. The cost has not yet been estimated but is likely to be of the order of £7,000, including equipment. Pupils admitted will be those statutorily defined as partially hearing who are considered likely to benefit from education in an ordinary secondary school. Consideration is being given to provision of a special class for children of primary school age. The authority will continue to make use of existing special and independent schools for children with defective hearing who need special educational treatment and are not admitted to a special class.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what facilities for the education of deaf and partially hearing children, respectively, exist or are planned in Essex; and when he expects that there will be sufficient places for all such children within the county.

Mr. Crosland

The Essex local education authority participates in regional arrangements for the education of the deaf and also maintains pupils in an independent primary school for the deaf at Woodford. It does not maintain or propose to maintain a school of its own for deaf pupils. Special classes for partially hearing children have been established at an ordinary school at Rayleigh and the authority's present plans include the provision of special classes at Harlow and Chelmsford and an additional class at Rayleigh for the partially hearing. The authority employs three peripatetic teachers of the deaf to help children with defective hearing educated in normal classes of ordinary schools and maintains some partially hearing pupils at a boarding special school run by the Hertfordshire local education authority. The authority does not plan to become self-sufficient, in my view rightly.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with present provisions for the detection of deaf and partially hearing children throughout the coun- try; whether he considers that adequate facilities exist for the education of all those who are known; and what proposals he has for improving the position.

Mr. Crosland

Arrangements for detection are continually being improved and in some areas are excellent. Universally adequate facilities for education depend upon an increase in the number of teachers of the deaf. A second training course begins in the autumn and I am reviewing the need for further places.

Mr. Newens

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many deaf children and how many partially hearing children of school age there are in England and Wales; and how many places exist for the education of such children.

Mr. Crosland

Provisional figures show that in January, 1965, there were 3,280 children of school age receiving special educational treatment as deaf pupils and 89 awaiting admission to suitable schools. The corresponding figures for partially hearing pupils were 3,139 and 165. These figures exclude children with minor hearing defects educated in normal classes of ordinary schools of whom there are estimated to be 3,000 to 4,000 on the basis of known issues of hearing aids. Approximate numbers of places available in special schools and classes and independent schools for pupils with defective hearing are as follows:

Type of school or class Approximate Number of places
Special schools for the deaf 2,700
Special schools and classes for the partially hearing 2,000
Special schools for both deaf and partially hearing pupils 2,000
Independent schools 300
Total 7,000