Research suggests parents can have a dramatic impact

The message will be highlighted on Wednesday by lifelong learning advocates the Campaign For Learning.

It is staging 7,000 events across Britain this weekend to encourage more family involvement in education.

The research it is pointing to, covering 3,000 children, was commissioned but not publicised by the Department for Education.

It suggests that a 16 year old whose parents showed a high level of involvement will score far better, on a scale of 1 to 100, than one from a similar background whose parents showed no interest.

Target groups

One study measured the difference at as much as 24%.

The Campaign For Learning is demanding more government investment in teaching parents how to teach their children.

It says lack of parental involvement is more commonly associated with people in the lower socio-economic groups.

So if parental involvement makes such a huge difference, then that is where society ought to be offering support.

But it says there is also potentially a problem that the high-achieving, highly-paid professionals may see their children lose out, because their lack of work-life balance limits the time they can spend with their children.

"Parental involvement can make the difference between an A* and an also-ran," a spokesperson said.

"It accounts for up to one-quarter of potential attainment. Its effect is eight times greater than the impact of such aspects of social class as parents' occupations."