New school for disabled

Press, 1 October 1979, Page 13

New school for disabled

Christchurch’s first school, i for disabled children to be; t built next to an ordinary) a school will be in Shirley. ; The Canterbury Education a Board is awaiting Education ;< Department approval before it calling tenders for the 1230|f sq m school for the disabled.; It will be built at the north-1 < east end of the Quinns Road'c School. I i The new school will costlf about 548.000, according tols the board s’ chief architert a (Mr A. F. McCook). About if $20,000 of this w’ould bei used to alter the existing, r school so that physically if disabled children could alsok use its facilities. - r Mr McCook said that thejl idea of building a school for) the physically disabled on ; < the same site as an ordinary < primary school was to al low I r

physically disabled children; to mix with others as much as possible. They still needed a separate school to provide special classes and physiotherapy, but for many lessons the pupils could mix, he said. Quinns Road School was chosen as the first in Christchurch to integrate because it already has a special class for backward pupils, a steady roll, plenty of room,; and it goes up to Standard; 6. Thirty-five pupils will move from the old school for physically disabled at 374 Worcester Street. They range in age from four to 16. The old school is being considered for use as an occupation centre for mentally retarded youngsters.