After a long period of service in education, in a variety of roles, starting off in a very deprived area of London and ending in one of its leafy suburbs, I eventually came to realise that the best teachers - at least below A-level - were not the highly qualified academics but those who were also unofficial, caring social workers.

I recall once saying this to a secondary head who was horrified. Talk about dilution.

It would be disappointing, therefore, if the Government were to slow up on its Sure Start programme as it tries to bind together the personal and social aspects of the system along with the technically educational.

When Head Start was started in the USA, the first results were disappointing; it was not until the effects were re-examined when the pupils were teenagers that the beneficial results became clear. In socio-economic change, it does take some time to "turn the tanker around".

Unfortunately, the media's concern is always short-term preferably immediate.

There is a Sure Start programme in operation within the city. Let us hope immediate benefits are not demanded.

-RG Jenkins, Hove