Exaggerating the arguments can give the impression that a child's earliest years represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in which to lay the foundations for a healthy social development and positive attitudes to learning. As if catch-up just isn't possible.
More often, though, I worry that the case for high-quality early years education for all children still isn't being made strongly enough. This week's Special Report ('Too much, too late', p10) reminds us that while the early years may not be a 'unique window' for setting children on the path to lifelong fulfilment and success, it is still by far the best time to foster an individual's capacity for lifelong learning, and that 'catching up' in adulthood, though not impossible, is very hard indeed.
According to the report, the 7bn spent annually on Government education and training programmes for the low-skilled leave participants no better off in the job market - more effective are work-based training and subsidised work. Far better, then, the report suggests, to divert money away from such Government programmes and into the early years. Would many of us disagree with that?