Research overview
This study followed 150 three- and four-year-olds, half of whom were participating in the Peep Learning Together programme, over a two-year period. The study showed how parents can improve children’s early literacy, language, maths and self-esteem through everyday learning together.
Key findings
The children who had attended Peep sessions made greater progress than others in:
- vocabulary
- language comprehension
- understanding about books and print
- number concepts.
The Peep children’s self-esteem was higher after the programme, and they felt more confident in what they could do both physically and mentally.
The study also highlighted the importance of working in partnership with parents. Rather than simply providing activities for children, the programme helped parents understand how young children learn and encouraged them to build on everyday opportunities at home. The researchers concluded that this collaborative approach, combined with a clear curriculum and well-trained practitioners, contributed to the positive outcomes for children.
The findings suggest that supporting parents and children to learn together can strengthen both children’s early learning and their confidence as learners, providing strong foundations for later education.
What this means for practitioners working with families
The Foundation Peep study suggests that practitioners can:
- work in partnership with parents, recognising them as children’s first and most enduring educators
- share practical ideas that parents can use naturally within everyday family life
- combine a clear learning focus with enjoyable play-based activities
- build practitioners’ confidence through high-quality training and ongoing support
- help children develop confidence alongside language, literacy and early maths skills, recognising that these aspects of development are closely connected.
The study was carried out by Dr Maria Evangelou and Professor Kathy Sylva at the University of Oxford (2004). The research summary (26 pages) paper from the journal of Early Childhood Research & Practice can be downloaded below.
‘This study demonstrates the value of an explicit curriculum, intensive staff training and a collaborative approach to work with parents.’
(Evangelou and Sylva, 2003, p80)