Mothers education affects childrens, says IFS

20 Apr 06
A US study into the educational attainment of mothers and their children could have 'important implications' for UK schools policy, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

21 April 2006

A US study into the educational attainment of mothers and their children could have 'important implications' for UK schools policy, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The IFS published research on April 18 that identifies a strong link between mothers' educational attainment and the standards achieved by their children. Using US data, it found that improving a mother's education increases her child's performance on achievement tests: an additional year of a mother's schooling will raise the child's ranking in test scores by about three to four percentage points, while the probability that a child is forced to repeat a year at school is reduced by seven percentage points.

The effect of the mother's education is transmitted to the child via additional income through having higher qualifications; increased 'mothers' maturity' through having children later in life; and the fact that a better education makes it more likely you will meet a better-educated spouse.

'These results have important implications for policy,' the IFS report claims. 'Increasing schooling attainment will not only benefit those who obtain higher education, but also create spillover effects to the next generation.

'Increasing parental schooling could be seen as a potential path to helping children who would otherwise be performing poorly in school.'

In last month's Budget, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced plans to give free classes for anyone up to the age of 25 seeking to gain A-level qualifications or their equivalent. It is thought that thousands of young parents could benefit from the move.

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