Ever since the famous finding from the American Perry Pre-School Project, that a dollar spent on high-quality early education saved 16 dollars of future expenditure on welfare and other costs to society, educational researchers and politicians alike have been fascinated by the potential long-term effects of what happens in the early years.
In England the EPPE project's findings have made a very strong case for the continued benefits to children right the way through their primary and into their secondary school education. The recent report by Graham Allen MP argues that 'we should exploit the potential for massive savings in public expenditure through an Early Intervention approach'. In a similar vein, Frank Field MP's recent report to the coalition Government says that 'investing in children and families before school would also enable the Government to put taxpayers' investment in primary and secondary education to much better effect'.
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