Education Act 1918

EXTENSION OF POWERS AND DUTIES

17 Power to promote social and physical training

For the purpose of supplementing and reinforcing the instruction and social and physical training provided by the public system of education, and without prejudice to any other powers, a local education authority for the purposes of Part III. of the Education Act, 1902, as respects children attending public elementary schools, and a local education authority for the purposes of Part II. of that Act as respects other children and young persons and persons over the age of eighteen attending educational institutions, may, with the approval of the Board of Education, make arrangements to supply or maintain or aid the supply or maintenance of—

(a) holiday or school camps, especially for young persons attending continuation schools;

(b) centres and equipment for physical training, playing fields (other than the ordinary playgrounds of public elementary schools not provided by the local education authority), school baths, school swimming baths ;

(c) other facilities for social and physical training in the day or evening.

18 Medical inspection of schools and educational institutions

(1) The local education authority for the purposes of Part II. of the Education Act, 1902, shall have the same duties and powers with reference to making provision for the medical inspection and treatment .of children and young persons attending—

(i) secondary schools provided by them ;

(ii) any school to the governing body of which, in pursuance of any scheme made under the [52 & 53 Vict. c. 40.] Welsh Intermediate Education Act, 1889, any payments are made out of any general fund administered by a local education authority as a governing body under that Act, and any school of which a local education authority are the governing body under that Act;

(iii) continuation schools under their direction and control ; and

(iv) such other schools or educational institutions (not being elementary schools) provided by them as the Board direct ;

as a local education authority for the purposes of Part III. of the Education Act, 1902, have under paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section thirteen of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1907, with reference to children attending public elementary schools, and may exercise the like powers as respects children and young persons attending any school or educational institution, whether aided by them or not, if so requested by or on behalf of the persons having the management thereof.

(2) The [9 Edw. 7. c. 13.] Local Education Authorities (Medical Treatment) Act, 1909, shall apply where any medical treatment is given in pursuance of this section as it applies to treatment given in pursuance of section thirteen of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1907.

19 Nursery schools

(1) The powers of local education authorities for the purposes of Part III. of the Education Act, 1902, shall include power to make arrangements for—

(a) supplying or aiding the supply of nursery schools (which expression shall include nursery classes) for children over two and under five years of age, or such later age as may be approved by the Board of Education, whose attendance at such a school is necessary or desirable for their healthy physical and mental development; and

(b) attending to the health, nourishment, and physical welfare of children attending nursery schools.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any Act of Parliament the Board of Education may, out of moneys provided by Parliament, pay grants in aid of nursery schools, provided that such grants shall not be paid in respect of any such school unless it is open to inspection by the local education authority, and unless that authority are enabled to appoint representatives on the body of managers to the extent of at least one-third of the total number of managers, and before recognising any nursery school the Board shall consult the local education authority.

20 Education of physically defective and epileptic children

A local education authority shall make arrangements under the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Acts, 1899 to 1914, for ascertaining what children in their area are physically defective or epileptic within the meaning of those Acts, and the provisions of the [4 & 5 Geo. 5. c. 45.] Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act, 1914, relating to mentally defective children, shall be extended so as to apply to physically defective and epileptic children, and accordingly that Act shall have effect as if references therein to mentally defective children included references to physically defective and epileptic children.

21 Powers for the education of children in exceptional circumstances

Where a local education authority for the purposes of Part III. of the Education Act, 1902, are satisfied in the case of any children that, owing to the remoteness of their homes or the condition under which the children are living, or other exceptional circumstances affecting the children, those children are not in a position to receive the full benefit of education by means of the ordinary provision made for the purpose by the authority, the authority may, with the approval of the Board of Education, make such arrangements, either of a permanent or temporary character, and including the provision of board and lodging, as they think best suited for the purpose of enabling those children to receive the benefit of efficient elementary education, and may for that purpose enter into such agreement with the parent of any such child as they think proper :

Provided that where a child is boarded out in pursuance of this section the local education authority shall, if possible, and, if the parent so requests, arrange for the boarding out being with a person belonging to the religious persuasion of the child's parents.

22 Amendment of Education (Choice of Employment) Act, 1910

Section one of the [10 Edw. 7. and 1 Geo. 5. c. 37.] Education (Choice of Employment) Act, 1910, which confers on certain local education authorities the power of assisting boys and girls with respect to the choice of employment, shall have effect as if " eighteen years of age " were therein substituted for " seventeen years of age. "

23 Power to aid research

With a view to promoting the efficiency of teaching and advanced study, a local education authority for the purposes of Part II. of the Education Act, 1902, may aid 'teachers and students to carry on any investigation for the advancement of learning or research in or in connection with an educational institution, and with that object may aid educational institutions.

24 Provision of maintenance allowances

It is hereby declared that the powers as to the provision of scholarships conferred by subsection (2) of section twenty-three of the Education Act, 1902, and by section eleven of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1907, include a power to provide allowances for maintenance.

25 Provisions as to medical treatment

A local education authority shall not, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section thirteen of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act, 1907, or by this Act, establish a general domiciliary service of treatment by medical practitioners for children or young persons, and in making arrangements for the treatment of children and young persons a local education authority shall consider how far they can avail themselves of the services of private medical practitioners.