Youngsters who display inattentive tendencies at age seven are less likely to perform well in their GCSEs, according to a new study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Researchers at the University of Nottingham and Bristol University said all stakeholders should take serious the findings of their paper because it can have a detrimental impact on future successes.

Lead author Kapil Sayal, professor of child and adolescent psychiatry in the school of medicine at the University of Nottingham, explained: "Teachers and parents should be aware of the long-term academic impact of behaviours such as inattention and distractibility.

“The impact applies across the whole spectrum of scores at the population level and is not just confined to those scoring above a cut-off or at the extreme end.

“Prevention and intervention strategies are key and, in the teenage years, could include teaching students time-management and organisational skills, minimising distractions and helping them to prioritise their work and revision."

The study, which was published in the Journal of Child and Adult Psychiatry, noted that for every one-point increase in attention symptoms at age seven, there is a two to three point decrease in GCSE scores.

Moreover, children who struggle to concentrate and stay focused in class at this age are seven per cent more likely to fail achieving five “good” GCSEs (C and above).