The education system in South Africa is characterised by unequal education structures between the affluent and non-affluent schools, poor academic performance by learners and high drop-out rates. While educational expenditure has doubled over the years to support the non-affluent schools, educational outcomes have not followed suit. The affluent schools tend to perform at a much better rate on average, than non-affluent schools. Therefore, using the 2015 Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS, 2015), this paper analysed the factors that impact on student performance within the non-affluent schools, and further examined the effect of availability of educational resources on student academic outcomes. The study finds that educational resources have a significant impact on student performances. However, the magnitude of the impact is minute as compared to other factors such as school management, accountability, and student self-determination. Therefore, the study concludes that educational resources in isolation are not necessarily the key tool for tackling the broader educational outcomes but rather it is a combination of many factors, which may lead to improved educational outcomes in South Africa.