New glasses have helped students

The challenge

For many primary school children, undetected or unaddressed vision issues create invisible barriers to learning. At Torloo Arm Primary School, with a student population of just over 100 children, around 50 per cent from low socioeconomic households, staff began noticing that some students were struggling to focus on reading and classroom tasks. In many cases, families simply didn’t realise their children needed reading glasses.

Some students had never had glasses before, while others were using broken or lost pairs that hadn’t been replaced. For younger students in Prep to Year 3, these challenges can have a significant impact, particularly during the critical years of early literacy development. Without clear vision, reading becomes tiring and frustrating, affecting attention, confidence and willingness to attend school. For families already under pressure, the cost and process of eye testing and glasses can be another challenge that quietly goes unresolved.

What the school did

To address this need, the school partnered with State Schools Relief’s Glasses for Kids Program to deliver a glasses support program for students in Prep to Year 3.

Permission forms were sent home, allowing all families the option to participate. Anyone who opted in was included in screening. State Schools Relief arranged for a specialist to visit the school and screen the eyesight of participating students, removing the need for families to arrange appointments themselves.

Students who were identified as needing support were provided with glasses. The program ensured that every child had the opportunity to participate, with glasses supplied only where appropriate based on professional assessment.

The school has now distributed 25 pairs of glasses, a significant uptake for a school of this size. In one instance, a family who had lost a child’s glasses received a replacement, ensuring continuity of support. Throughout the process, children were made to feel included and even enjoyed showing off which styles they had chosen.

The impact

The impact of the glasses program has been profound and visible across the school community. Students who received glasses now regularly use them during reading lessons, often keeping them on their desks for reading and focused tasks. What was once a barrier quickly became normalised, children wear their glasses confidently, seeing it as simply part of learning. The stigma behind having them has been broken down.

Teachers observed clear improvements in reading progression, attention and focus. With clearer vision, students are more engaged, able to follow along with texts and participate fully in classroom activities. Learning outcomes have improved as students are no longer straining to see words on the page, allowing them to concentrate on comprehension rather than effort.

Teachers have also heard children report fewer headaches when they read now – a frustration they had overlooked mentioning to teachers and parents before testing.

Confidence has also increased. Students are more willing to attempt reading, less frustrated and more comfortable asking questions. Staff noted that this growth in confidence has positively affected all students involved.  

For families, the program has brought real relief. Knowing their child’s vision needs are met is “one less thing to worry about,” particularly for households already managing multiple pressures. In some cases, the program opened conversations about other services and supports, strengthening trust between families and the school.

By addressing an often hidden barrier to learning, the glasses support program has delivered meaningful educational, emotional and wellbeing outcomes, helping students see more clearly, learn with confidence and thrive in their early years of school.