Catalogue description Department of Education and Science and predecessors: Medical Branch and Special Services Branch: Special Schools' Files

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Details of ED 32
Reference: ED 32
Title: Department of Education and Science and predecessors: Medical Branch and Special Services Branch: Special Schools' Files
Description:

Files of the Department of Education and Science and predecessors, Medical Branch and Special Services Branch containing applications for recognition as special schools under the Elementary Education (Blind and Deaf Children) Act 1893, the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act 1899, and s.61 of the Education Act 1921.

The series also includes inspection reports, administrative correspondence and papers and routine papers relating to individual schools.

  • From piece 1040 onwards the following abbreviations qualifying type of school have been used:
  • MD - Mentally Defective, later ESN - Educationally Sub Normal
  • PD - Physically Defective, later PH - Physically Handicapped
  • PS - Partially Sighted
  • Del - Delicate
  • Mal - Maladjusted
  • Ep - Epileptic
Date: 1894-1973
Arrangement:

In the main, files up to 1946 are arranged by controlling authorities in alphabetical and county order. After 1946, in consequence of a major change in the registration system in 1953, the files are arranged as far as possible in numerical sequence in county and county borough order
Related material:

HM Inspectorate reports on special education establishments are in ED 195

For files relating to the Welsh Department special schools see ED 224
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Board of Education, 1899-1944

Board of Education, Medical Department, 1907-1923

Board of Education, Medical Department, 1923-1944

Department of Education and Science, Medical Branch, 1970-1972

Department of Education and Science, Special Education Branch, 1970-1972

Department of Education and Science, Special Services Branch, 1964-1970

Ministry of Education, Medical Branch, 1944-1948

Ministry of Education, Special Services Branch, 1948-1964
Physical description: 2526 file(s)
Access conditions: Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated
Selection and destruction information: Early papers have been heavily weeded.
Publication note:

Regulations for special schools and lists of certified schools for blind, deaf, handicapped and epileptic children were initially issued as Command Papers, copies of which may be seen in the Department's Library. An explanatory memo issued with the Education Act 1921 relating to special educational provisions is in Cmd 6492, p 8, 1943.
Administrative / biographical background:

The Elementary Education (Blind and Deaf Children) Act 1893, placed a duty upon every school authority to enable blind and deaf children to obtain education 'in some school for the time being certified by the Education Department as suitable for providing such education'.

The Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act 1899, gave school authorities power to ascertain such children to make suitable provision for their education by special classes in public elementary schools, and to aid or establish special schools certified by the Department.

Under section 61 of the Education Act 1921 compulsory education for children suffering from these handicaps was extended to the age of 16. Special educational provisions were re-enacted in sections 33 and 34 of the Education Act 1944 replacing in general the provisions of Part V of the Education Act 1921. These sections were deemed to 'open the way to fuller and better provision for children handicapped by physical or mental disabilities'.

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