Learning Together Programme – Foundation Peeps 3s Level

The Learning Together Programme – Foundation Peeps 3s Level is an early learning intervention for families living in disadvantaged communities with a child between 3 and 4 years old. It is delivered by two early childhood professionals to families in a group of up to eight families for 33 sessions over one year.

The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.

Population characteristics as evaluated

3 to 4 years old

Level of need: Targeted-selected
Race and ethnicities: Not reported

Model characteristics

Group

Setting: Early years setting, Community centre.
Workforce: Early childhood professional – group leader and group assistant
Evidence rating:
Cost rating:

Child outcomes:

  • Enhancing school achievement & employment
    • Improved early literacy
    • Improved early numeracy
    • Improved speech, language and communication
  • Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing
    • Improved self-esteem

UK available

UK tested

Published: April 2025
Last reviewed: July 2016

Model description

The PEEP Learning Together Programme by Peeple is for parents with a child between birth and age 5 living in disadvantaged communities. Foundation PEEP for 3s is for families with a child between the ages of 3 and 4 years old.

PEEP for 3s is delivered by two early childhood professionals (a group leader and a group assistant who have received the PEEP training), who run a weekly group for up to eight families over 33 sessions over a year. During these sessions, parents learn skills aimed at supporting their child’s social and emotional development, communication and language, early literacy and numeracy, and health and physical development. The content of the sessions is based on the ORIM framework:

  • Opportunities to learn
  • Recognition and valuing of their early achievements
  • Interaction with adults in learning situations
  • Models of literacy and numeracy behaviours, learning strategies and dispositions from adults.

In the first part of the sessions, parents discuss the theme of the week, following the PEEP curriculum for 3s, about self-concept and feelings, oral language or numeracy. In the second part of the session, parents and children come together for circle time, with songs, rhymes, and stories, linked to the theme of the discussion. At the end of the session, parents can borrow play packs, books, and scrap materials to use at home.

Age of child

3 to 4 years old

Target population

Families living in a disadvantaged area with low socioeconomic status.

Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.

Why?

Science-based assumption

School readiness skills (including vocabulary and self-regulating skills) at age 4 are a strong predictor of children’s success in primary and secondary school.

Science-based assumption

An enriching home learning environment during the early years is strongly associated with young children’s school readiness.

Who?

Science-based assumption

Family disadvantage negatively impacts parents’ ability to provide an enriching home learning environment.

How?

Intervention

Parents learn how to support their child’s early learning and social and emotional development

Children participate in activities aimed at supporting their early learning.

What?

Short-term

Parents implement learning activities in the home

Children are more curious and confident learners

Children have higher self-esteem.

Medium-term

Improved child language and literacy

Improved child numeracy

Improved child school readiness.

Long-term

Improved school achievement in primary and secondary school.

Who is eligible?

Families with a child aged 3 years old, living in disadvantaged communities.

How is it delivered?

Learning Together Programme – Foundation PEEP 3s Level is delivered in 33 sessions of one hour duration each over one year by two practitioners (a group leader and group assistant), to groups of up to eight families.

What happens during the intervention?

Parents learn how to give opportunities for children to learn, to recognise when children have learned something new, and to model skills and behaviours in games and activities.

In each session, the group leader discusses an aspect of children’s learning with parents and models these skills through a song and story time with the children. Parents can also borrow materials to use at home with their children.

Who can deliver it?

The practitioner who delivers this intervention is an early childhood professional.

What are the training requirements?

The practitioners have 14 hours of intervention training. Ongoing monthly training is provided. Booster training of practitioners is not required.

How are the practitioners supervised?

It is not required that practitioners receive supervision.

What are the systems for maintaining fidelity?

Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:

  • Training manual
  • Other printed material
  • Other online material
  • Face-to-face training
  • Accreditation or certification process.

Is there a licensing requirement?

No

Contact details*

Contact person: Sally Smith

Organisation: Peeple

Email address: info@peeple.org.uk

Website: www.peeple.org.uk

*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.

Learning Together Programme – Foundation PEEP 3s Level’s most rigorous evidence comes from one comparison group study conducted in the UK consistent with Foundations’ Level 2+ evidence strength criteria.

The study observed statistically significant improvements on validated measures of PEEP 3s children’s language, vocabulary, early numeracy, and self-esteem in comparison to a comparable sample of children not receiving the intervention.

Learning Together Programme – Foundation PEEP 3s Level has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome, but we cannot be confident that the intervention caused the improvement.

Search and review

Identified in searchN/A
Studies reviewed2
Meeting the L2 threshold1
Meeting the L3 threshold0
Contributing to the L4 threshold0
Ineligible1

Study 1

Study designQED
CountryUK
Sample characteristics

160 children aged 3 and their parents, who were participating in a PEEP group or in a matched comparison group who were participating in other playgroups in nearby areas with similar characteristics, living in a disadvantaged community in Oxfordshire

Race, ethnicities, and nationalities

Not reported

Population risk factors

Families living in disadvantaged areas

Timing

Baseline, post-intervention

Child outcomes
  • Improved language and vocabulary (child assessment)
  • Improved early numeracy (child assessment)
  • Improved self-esteem (child assessment).
Other outcomes

None

Study rating2+
Citations

Evangelou, M., & Sylva, K. (2003) The effects of the peers Early Educational Partnership (PEEP) on children’s developmental progress. Department for Education and Skills.

The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.

Evangelou, M., Brooks, G., Smith, S. & Jennings, D. (2005) Birth to school study: A longitudinal evaluation of the Peers Early Education Partnership (PEEP).

Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.

Cost ratings:

Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.

Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.

Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.

Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.

Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.

Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.

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Child Outcomes:

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Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing child maltreatment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Enhancing school achievement & employment: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing crime, violence and antisocial behaviour: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing substance abuse: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing risky sexual behaviour & teen pregnancy: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Preventing obesity and promoting healthy physical development: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient.

Evidence ratings:

Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.

Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.

Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.

Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.

Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.

Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.

Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.

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