A new computer test designed to predict a child's reading level after one year at school could help pick up students with literacy problems early on, a Wanganui principal says.
Brunswick School principal Jan Clark said students with reading problems could often go for two to three months before being identified.
"We continually do running tests, but it can be quite difficult to pick up in the initial stages of school sometimes."
New research from the University of Canterbury indicates children with reading problems could be identified as soon as they start school. The test could also be a "red flag" for dyslexia.
Mrs Clark said all students at the school, which runs from Year 1 to Year 8, were monitored for literacy and any pupils with severe learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, could be referred to specialist tutors.