School, family, neighbourhood: Which is most important to a child's education?

Abstract

The school, the family, and the neighbourhood they grow up in are all important to how children perform academically. But which has most influence? Does a supportive family outweigh deprived surroundings or the school you attend? Or is the most important factor the child itself?. George Leckie, Rebecca Pillinger, Jennifer Jenkins and Jon Rasbash disentangle this complex web of influences. © 2010 The Royal Statistical Society.