A teaching assistant completed a specialist course to learn about dyslexia -- and discovered that 10 per cent of pupils at her school suffer from the learning difficulty.

June Tallant with pupils wearing tinted spectacles Dyslexia experts are calling for teachers to be given more specialist training to spot the signs after staff and parents at Wheatley Primary School reported a dramatic effect on behaviour and standards as a result of the discovery.

June Tallant, who has worked as a teaching assistant at the school for 15 years, began identifying the pupils as dyslexic after completing a masters level course in 2003, through the Oxford Dyslexia Foundation.

Until then, no child at the school had been identified as dyslexic -- but now she is giving specialist learning support and advice to 33 pupils and their families.

She said. "Because we've got this in place, we're finding them earlier. We have seen big improvements in attainment and behaviour. One pupil's reading age has improved by two years and nine months after only eight months.

"We've also found that the children taking fish oils have become much better at concentrating and their short-term memory has improved."

After being identified as dyslexic, the children are referred to the dyslexia research clinic at Oxford University, where they are usually prescribed a pair of tinted glasses which help them to focus on a page when reading.

Oxford University visual physiologist Susan Fowler and physiology professor John Stein carry out the free tests as part of their research, funded through the Dyslexia Research Trust, into the visual causes of dyslexia. Their research has also found that taking fish oils can have a positive effect on behaviour and learning.

Prof Stein, brother of celebrity chef Rick Stein, said more money was needed so they could extend the number of clinics.

He said: "We're very impressed with the number of children June Tallant has sent us. I think it's really very sad that more teachers don't know about dyslexia."

Linda Veness, a co-director of the Oxford Dyslexia Foundation, set up about 20 years ago to provide specialist training for teachers and support for pupils, backed the calls for better teacher training and support for dyslexic pupils.

She said: "There's a lot more awareness of dyslexia now but issues of funding and staff training are still too patchy."

There are 1,325 children -- or 1.56 per cent -- at Oxfordshire schools who are registered dyslexic.

Chris Sey, principal educational psychologist at Oxfordshire County Council, described Wheatley Primary School's approach as innovative.

He said: "Parents are anxious that if their child is dyslexic, it gets recognised. Dyslexia friendly advice is available to all schools alongside a comprehensive training programme. Schools have access to the same support -- some schools are better than others at taking it up.

"Wheatley Primary is pretty innovative. For a teaching assistant to be qualified in this way is unusual, but it's something we would encourage."