Education Endowment Foundation:Glasses in Classes – trial

Glasses in Classes – trial

University of Leeds
Implementation costThe cost estimates in the Toolkits are based on the average cost of delivering the intervention.
Evidence strengthThis rating provides an overall estimate of the robustness of the evidence, to help support professional decision-making in schools.
Impact (months)The impact measure shows the number of additional months of progress made, on average, by children and young people who received the intervention, compared to similar children and young people who did not.
0
months
Project info

Independent Evaluator

University of Nottingham logo
University of Nottingham
Supporting schools and parents to encourage pupils to get and wear glasses.
Pupils: 700 Schools: 100 Grant: £410,239
Key Stage: EY Duration: 1 year(s) 4 month(s) Type of Trial: Efficacy level evidence
Completed June 2020

The project

The intervention, developed by the Centre for Applied Education Research (CAER), aims to increase the number of children who obtain and consistently wear glasses, following an eye test, by involving both schools and families. The CAER is a partnership created by Bradford Opportunity Area to remove health barriers to learning.

Eye test results are shared with schools and staff are trained to support pupils and their families to obtain the glasses and encourage pupils to wear them. Pupils receive two pairs of glasses: one to keep at school and one for home. Each participating school has a Vision Coordinator (VC), supporting the relationship between school, families, opticians, and health services. The intervention targets children who were initially assessed at vision screening and referred for an eye test (refraction).

Outcome/​Group
ImpactThe size of the difference between pupils in this trial and other pupils
SecurityHow confident are we in this result?
Letter-Word Identification, full sample
0
Months' progress
(Effect size -0.03)
Letter-Word Identification, FSM-eligible group
+1
Months' progress
(Effect size 0.09)
N/A

EEF summary

The aim of Glasses in Classes was to improve the literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the visual acuity, of children in reception (age 4 – 5). It is recommended that all children in England receive an eyesight test in their reception year, which is usually provided by health services and results shared with families, but not schools. Roughly 10 – 15% of children fail their eyesight test, and of these around a third are not taken to the opticians to obtain glasses. This intervention aims to address this by linking schools, families, opticians and health services.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, families and optical services disrupted both programme delivery and aspects of the evaluation. The intervention was originally designed to last one year but due to COVID-19 related disruption it ran for two years, from December 2019 until June 2021. The trial sample comprised 789 children in 99 schools in the Bradford area. Children were screened in the autumn term of reception year, with glasses ordered and delivered by early in the spring term.

The main impact analysis focused on children for whom the vision-screening test identified vision problems in the intervention group, compared to similar children from the control group. Children in the Glasses in Classes (GiC) treatment schools made no additional months’ progress in reading compared to children in the control schools. These findings have a moderate security rating: three out of five on the EEF padlock scale. This was an efficacy trial, which tested whether the intervention worked under developer-led conditions. Disruption to the delivery of the intervention makes it harder to accurately estimate the size of the impact on the pupils in the trial. Significant non-attendance at eye test appointments in year one, more often by disadvantaged learners, affected the ability of the evaluation to detect primary and secondary effects.

Exploratory subgroup analysis suggested that children eligible for free school meals (FSM) who were offered GiC made the equivalent of one months’ progress in reading.

There are no further trials of Glasses in Classes currently planned.

Were the schools in the trial similar to my school?

Project type: Efficacy level evidenceKey Stage: Early YearsSubject: Literacy
  • The aim of Glasses in Classes was to improve the literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the visual acuity, of children in reception (age 4 – 5). It is recommended that all children in England receive an eyesight test in their reception year, which is usually provided by health services and results shared with families, but not schools. Roughly 10 – 15% of children fail their eyesight test, and of these around a third are not taken to the opticians to obtain glasses. This intervention aims to address this by linking schools, families, opticians and health services.
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, families and optical services disrupted both programme delivery and aspects of the evaluation. The intervention was originally designed to last one year but due to COVID-19 related disruption it ran for two years, from December 2019 until June 2021. The trial sample comprised 789 children in 99 schools in the Bradford area. Children were screened in the autumn term of reception year, with glasses ordered and delivered by early in the spring term.
  • The main impact analysis focused on children for whom the vision-screening test identified vision problems in the intervention group, compared to similar children from the control group. Children in the Glasses in Classes (GiC) treatment schools made no additional months’ progress in reading compared to children in the control schools. These findings have a moderate security rating: three out of five on the EEF padlock scale. This was an efficacy trial, which tested whether the intervention worked under developer-led conditions. Disruption to the delivery of the intervention makes it harder to accurately estimate the size of the impact on the pupils in the trial. Significant non-attendance at eye test appointments in year one, more often by disadvantaged learners, affected the ability of the evaluation to detect primary and secondary effects.
  • Exploratory subgroup analysis suggested that children eligible for free school meals (FSM) who were offered GiC made the equivalent of one months’ progress in reading.
  • There are no further trials of Glasses in Classes currently planned.

Could I implement this in my school?

Delivered by: ParentsParticipant group: IndividualsIntervention length: 30 weeks
  • To support engagement, families of children whose vision screening identified potential vision problems are prompted in writing by local health teams, and in person by the Vision Coordinators.
  • Potential scaling-up of the programme should consider the wider context of geographical area: for example, while the area of Bradford has a relatively high number of optometry practices, this may not be the case for other geographical areas.
  • In 2021 the Glasses in Classes programme was expanded by the Department for Education (DfE) to be delivered in more Opportunity Areas: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/free-glasses-to-tackle-poor-eyesight-and-boost-literacy

How much will it cost?

Cost per pupil: 220No. of teachers/TAs: VariableStaff training duration: 1 days

The average cost of the GiC intervention, had it been implemented fully as designed and planned, would have been approximately £220 per pupil over three years.

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