The Peep Learning Together Programme (LTP) is a parent education programme developed by the charity Peeple
The version of the programme evaluated in this trial, Peep-LTS, aims to improve parenting skills and the quality of the home learning environment in the early years (ages 3 to 4). This involves an initial home visit, then 20 weekly one-hour sessions held in the nursery setting, delivered by nursery practitioners and attended by parents and their child. The course evaluated in this trial focused on two topics: communication and language; and early literacy.
Sessions provide parents with background information about how children learn, as well as practical ideas and activities to help build on what they are already doing at home, in order to make the most of everyday learning opportunities, including listening, talking, playing, singing and sharing books and stories
Research shows that the quality of learning opportunities within the home learning environment is a predictor of positive academic and social outcomes, with parental involvement in their child’s learning a key factor that contributes towards development
Previous research on Peep LTP has examined the extent to which the programme can effectively reach target parents, raise parental awareness of how to foster child development, and demonstrate a positive and lasting impact on children’s achievements in both literacy and wellbeing domains, particularly self-esteem. Our evaluation is the first randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of the programme in improving language and literacy in the early years, as well as exploring its impact on the home learning environment and parental skills
Our trial of the Peep-LTS Programme involved 1,447 families across 139 nursery settings. The independent evaluation found that pupils in the Peep-LTS made, on average, no additional progress in core language skills (the primary outcome), compared to children in the usual practice control group. These results have a moderate-to-high security rating: 3 out of 5 on the EEF padlock scale.
The evaluation did find that the programme had a positive effect on children’s early literacy development. Following the programme, parents also reported small improvements in the home learning environment and their confidence in enjoying and playing with their child, and moderate improvements in self-acceptance and confidence in their own parenting knowledge and learning.
The EEF has no plans for a further trial of the Peep-LTS Programme.
Although more than 90% of practitioners reported that the Peep-LTS Programme was easy to use and implement, practitioners also felt that the length of the Programme — 20 weekly sessions — may have been a barrier to commitment for parents.