Learners’ success does not begin on the first day of school – it is founded on early engagements facilitated by parents and caregivers. The learning environment that is created at home shapes children’s social and cognitive development, as well as their achievement and attitudes towards education. Sylvia Hannan and Andrea Juan use
grade 5 data from the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) to explore the home context of South African primary school learners.