Why do some children perform better in school than others?

Why do some children perform better in school than others?

Children's differences in the ability to learn are already evident in early life and have pervasive, lasting influence on all important life outcomes, including socio-economic status, health, and well-being. In my research, I apply digital technologies for collecting 'big data', life-course modeling and genomic methods to identify the complex dynamics of early life experiences that inform children's long-term cognitive development. The findings suggest significant improvements in the accuracy of predicting individual children's school outcomes, which is key to developing 'personalised education' that seeks to optimise learning achievement. While understanding the causes of children's differences in school performance is the greatest contribution that psychological science will make.

Sophie Von Stumm, PhD, is Professor of Psychology in Education and Director of the Hungry Mind Lab at the University of York.