Extensive research in the 1990s revealed that children who succeed in school and in life tend to have four crucial emotional needs met. Furthermore, they also have a particular mindset that helps them succeed. Children who are in trouble and fall through the cracks tend to lack these necessities. In this discussion I suggest that parents are uniquely positioned to meet children’s emotional needs and to influence their mindsets, and thus their school achievement. This explains parents’ impact on school achievement. For this reason, investment in parenting education programmes is critical to raising achievement levels in our under-resourced communities.