They say the reality in the classroom is markedly different from government announcements claiming a massive boost in school spending.

Pat Petch: Funding "a real dog's breakfast"

"The government has announced lots of money in the last couple of years. But when reality strikes, you find it's through the standards fund," said Oxfordshire governor Judith Bennett.

"If you check back, all too often you find it's money that's been announced before, two or three times before. In one case seven times before.

"What we want is some real money, some new money that everyone gets," she said.

£19bn an 'illusion'

The government says it is providing an extra £19 billion for education over the three years up to the next election.

Delegates at the National Governors' Council meeting in Birmingham complained that the figures were an illusion.

The annual conference heard claims that the government has painted a rosy picture by announcing the same school funding seven times.

A straw poll of delegates showed as many as 60% were having to contemplate sacking teachers or making other cuts in their schools.

Delegates said total education spending in the UK would rise to £48 billion in 2002, just £6.7 billion more than in the current financial year.

'Disappointment' at Labour

The governors also questioned the 5.3% increase in Standard Spending Assessment which local education authorities have received this year.

Many complained that any increased education spending had been eaten up by inflation, teachers' pay and extra duties in special education needs and school transport.

National Governors Council chairwoman Pat Petch said Labour was disappointing teachers and parents.

"Across the country, people are facing the possibility again of having to make redundancies in their schools," she said.