Focus: David Fletcher reviews this month's news in education

The uneasiest year for a decade in the education world creaked forward last month with the stresses and strains of living within a budget becoming ever more apparent. In schools, thousands of children were sent home as the National Association of Schoolmasters continued their militant action in dissatisfaction with the Burnham negotiating machinery. In local councils, details of cuts started to seep out as spending estimates were pruned to meet Government restrictions. In universities, the chill wind of financial cut back was also blowing and at least one university department was threatened with closure because of lack of money.