A NEW trial is aiming to get glasses to four and five years olds who need them in order to improve their maths and reading skills.

Pupils in 100 schools will take part in a trial of Glasses for Classes, a programme developed by a team at the University of Leeds and the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The NHS recommends that all children receive an eyesight test in their first year of school. Roughly 10–15 per cent of children fail their eyesight test, and of these around a third are not taken to the opticians to obtain glasses. However, schools are not told these results.

Because of this, it's thought many children with visual impairment may experience misdiagnosed problems at school with reading and counting.

In Education Endowment Fund (EEF) trial, eye test results will be shared with schools and parents. Staff will be trained to support pupils and their families to get glasses and encourage pupils to wear them.

Funding will be provided for a second pair of glasses for pupils to keep at school and each participating school will appoint a member of staff to manage the relationship between school, families, opticians and health services.

Earlier research by Dr Alison Bruce, Director of Vision Research at the Born in Bradford programme, found that failing to treat undiagnosed eye conditions - like short-sightedness, or astigmatism - can hold back the development of literacy skills.

Sir Kevan Collins Chief Executive of the EEF, said: "Making sure all young children with possible eyesight problems are identified and supported with glasses or other treatments is a clear win-win, helping improve health as well as educational opportunities.

"Our new trial will find out how best schools can provide practical support to parents so that no child faces this unnecessary barrier to learning."

Dr Alison Bruce, Director of Vision Research at the Born in Bradford programme, added: "Even where obvious, there is currently no mechanism to ensure vision screening results are actioned. "This can leave the condition untreated throughout a child’s early school years, with known potential to impact on their future educational attainment.

"This new research, which will trial the sharing of information between health and education services, provides the opportunity to influence national policy in the future."