Every year in England, children in Reception and Year 6 have their height and weight measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). In addition, all children in Reception will have their vision screened.

Children will not be made to take part on the day if they do not want to.

Vision screening

Children in Reception classes in mainstream, local authority schools will have their vision screened. It is very important for a child’s eyesight to be screened when they are young so that any problems can be picked up and treated early on.

Health and wellbeing assistants from your local school nurse team will visit school and use a simple test to screen your child’s vision. We will inform you about the outcome of the screening and, if necessary, we will refer your child to a specialist. We encourage you to share your child’s results with their class teacher.

We also offer Electively Home Educated Children a Vision Screen at one of our Clinic Sessions below:

CYPS Multi-purpose room, Forest of Dean Community Hospital, Steam Mills Road, Cinderford, GL14 3HY
Monday 4th November 2024 from 12.30pm – 4pm

Tewkesbury Community Clinic, Barton Road, Tewkesbury, GL20 5QL
Tuesday 11th February 2025 from 10am – 4pm

To make an appointment, please email NCMP@ghc.nhs.uk or call 0300 421 8225.

Opting out of the vision screening

If you are happy for your child to have their vision screening you do not need to do anything. If you do not want your child to have their vision screened or if they are already under professional care for their vision, please let us know by completing the online form here.

Alternatively please phone 0300 421 8225 leaving a message with the details of your child’s name, date of birth, address and the school they currently attend.

National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP)

When your child starts school they will be measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme. This short video explains more about why this is done and why it is important for your child to be a healthy weight. If you have any questions please contact your school nurse team.

Opting your child out of the programmes

If you are happy for your child to have their vision screen and to be weighed and measured, you do not need to do anything. If you do not want your child to take part in one or both of these, please let us know by completing the online form here.

Alternatively please phone 0300 421 8225 within 2 weeks, leaving a message with the details of your child’s name, date of birth, address and the school they currently attend.

If your child is already under professional care for their vision, it is important that you notify us using the online form or on the above number to prevent unnecessary referrals.

Every year in England, children in Reception and Year 6 have their height and weight measured as part of the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). Children will not be forced to take part on the day if they do not want to.

The measurement will be undertaken by trained staff from your School Nursing Team. The results will not be visible to your child. Routine data, such as your child’s name, and date of birth will also be collected but the records of children’s heights and weights will be made anonymous before being sent for analysis by Public Health England and will be stored locally on child health records. All information and results will be treated confidentially. Your Head Teacher has agreed that this will happen in your child’s school, you can contact your school to find out when we will be visiting.

NCMP – Receiving your child’s measurement results

We will not automatically inform you of your child’s results, only if their BMI is in the underweight/overweight range. In these instances, you will receive an intervention letter to offer you information and support.

If you would like to be informed of your child’s results, please let us know by completing the online form.

Alternatively please phone 0300 421 8225. Please leave a message with details of your child’s name, date of birth, address, school they currently attend and your contact telephone number.

How your child’s data is collected and processed

Local authorities have a legal duty to collect the NCMP data. They do this by following guidance from Public Health England. Local authorities are responsible for making decisions on how the data is collected and for making sure it is protected. Local NCMP service providers are contracted to carry this out; in Gloucestershire this is through the school nursing team.

The team collecting the data enter it into the NCMP IT system, which is provided by NHS Digital. The data is also entered into a local child health information system. Your local authority is responsible for sending the data to NHS Digital. NHS Digital and Public Health England are jointly responsible for the data held at a national level. Your local authority is responsible for the data held locally.

More information on how personal data is collected, used and shared is available in the National Child Measurement Programme Gloucestershire Privacy Notice in the ‘Further Information’ section below.

Further information

Accessibility