You're set for life if you have a smart older sibling

Children with an older sibling who does well at school benefit from a knock-on effect which makes them perform even better, according to a new study.

Academics at the University of Essex and University of York investigated the "sibling spillover" effect by studying primary school test results and GCSE schools.

They found older siblings play an important role in helping educate their brothers or sisters - especially if an older sibling helps with homework, if they pass on information to the younger sibling, or if the younger sibling seeks to emulate them.

One of the study's authors Birgitta Rabe said that the "spillover effect" was greater for families living in deprived areas and speaking languages other than English at home.

"This means that children from more deprived backgrounds benefit more from a high attaining older sibling than children from more affluent backgrounds," she said.

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