During the first weeks of the new year many of us will discover what Kenneth Clarke's Budget has done us for our school budget.
This is the best test of The Budget, what has your school gained or lost this year?
Headteachers and Governors will be told exactly how much funding each school can expect during 1996/97.
There will be the usual war of words between LEAs and Government as to how much "extra" has been made available. Some LEAs, the fortunate few, will be able to say that their cuts aren't as bad this year but it is clear that many LEAs will face severe difficulties to match last year's funding.
The Government has "relaxed rate capping " in some areas, this will enable some Councils to raise revenue by increasing Council Tax. A Pandora's Box is open.
If Councils don't raise taxes they will have to intensify cuts, if they do raise taxes they will open themselves up to accusations of profligacy.
All this in the months that herald a General Election.
Politicians at local and national levels from all parties will be reading from their agendas. Our task is to raise the flag for good, basic minimum funding, in every LEA, in every school for every child.
This an important time to set out national funding objectives, as a challenge to each of the parties, as protection for every pupil. National legislation on class size, Special Needs support, Nursery provision and maintenance and repairs in school buildings is the only way of protecting children from a repeat of the past few years of savage cuts.
There has to be a safety net, we have to build a national concensus for minimum levels of funding.
Liberal Democrat acknowledgement of the scale of the problem is a start, Labour's commitment to a maximum class size of 30 for the under 7s is the beginning of that party's awakening; the increasing number of Conservative Councillors and M.P.s who are concerned about the present crisis show that a national concenus is possible.
Now FACE has to press home the simple election truth, if you want my vote commit your self to minimum standards of funding in education.
Time to dust of the FACE Pledge which some of us took to last May's District Elections, perhaps we will just be taking it to local elections and perhaps.................
FACE demands that any pay settlements agreed over the next few months are funded from the national exchequer. We agree with Jim Pawsey, Conservative M.P. and Chairman of the House of Commons Backbenchers Committee on Education that school budgets cannot be expected to finance any increases. That's what happened this year but as Jim Pawsey says "we can't bite that cherry twice".
If national awards are made to school staff it is clearly the role of national government to finance them.
Please send your news and your views to David Long.