PEEP is an early years intervention programme which aims to increase parents' involvement in their children's learning. Established in Blackbird Leys and neighbouring estates in south Oxford in 1995, it was primarily a literacy programme, but has since expanded to encompass numeracy, self-esteem and readiness to learn.
The Birth to Schools Study investigated the effects of PEEP on parents and children by comparing them with families from another area of Oxford that had similar poverty levels.
Researchers found that PEEP parents had a significantly enhanced view of their parent-child interaction when the children were one year old, and PEEP parents were also rated higher in the quality of their care-giving environment.
From the age of two, PEEP children showed greater progress in a range of literacy skills. When researchers measured their self-esteem at five, PEEP children also showed significant advantages.
PEEP chief executive Peter Silva said, 'The evaluation report shows that if children participate in PEEP with their parents on a regular basis, they make remarkable progress in a cluster of results for literacy, numeracy and self-esteem.
'The evaluation also shows an important community effect. Even when families are not directly involved in regular sessions, children who live in the PEEP catchment area make substantial progress in literacy and cognitive development compared with children in areas where PEEP is not available.'
Mr Silva hopes to secure funding to extend the evaluation study. He said, 'We are keen to track these children as they move into primary school to see if the advantages are sustained throughout school and into their teenage years.
'There are 1,000 people trained to deliver PEEP across the UK and there are large projects in Derby, Hampshire and Bristol. We would expect the results from the Birth to Schools Study to be replicated.'
For more information see www.surestart.gov.uk/ research/keyresearch/peep.