The windfall comes in the form of two grants - the school standards grant and formula capital. It builds on the cash announced by the Chancellor a year ago and again in November.

Mr Brown surprised everyone last April with his no-strings-attached grant of an average pound;20,000 for primary schools and pound;70,000 for secondaries. He also gave schools extra to spend on repairs and improvement - pound;6,500 for a 250-pupil primary from April and pound;19,000 for a 1,000-pupil secondary.

Seven months later, Mr Brown gave schools more cash for capital and promised there would be extra in their bank accounts to spend as they choose over the next three years.

Last week, with a general election imminent, Mr Brown pulled another rabbit out of the hat. Schools will now receive between pound;1,000 and pound;12,000 a year more than expected through the school standards grant. And the Government has told councils they cannot adjust budgets to annul the effect. Some this year attempted to hold onto the cash rather than pass it on to schools by the end of May.

The average primary, with around 250 pupils, will also get almost pound;42,000 in capital formula to spend on school buildings over the next three years.

A 1,000-pupil secondary will get around pound;128,000 for repairs and improvements by 2003, by which time ministers expect to have caught up with the huge backlog of problems affecting Britain’s schools.

“This is money going directly into schools,” said George Phipson, education consultant and financial analyst. “Levels are set by the Government - the local authority can’t alter them.”

Schools will be expected to work with councils, who have already drawn up asset-management plans, on capital projects and there will undoubtedly be disputes over how the cash will be spent. But governors wil have the final say.

Schools are allowed to roll over money for capital for three years and Mr Phipson said: “It’s really exciting because governors can take a much more involved view - they can do something about it.”

SHARING OUT THE MONEY

School Standards Grant budgets

Primary

Up to 100 pupils: pound;7,000 (pound;1,000 extra)

101-200 pupils: pound;13,500 (pound;1,500)

20-400 pupils: pound;24,000 (pound;4,000)

40-600 pupils: pound;30,000 (pound;5,000)

601-plus pupils: pound;48,000 (pound;8,000)

Secondary

Up to 600 pupils: pound;58,000 (pound;8,000)

60-1,200 pupils: pound;70,000 (pound;10,000)

0ver 1,200 pupils: pound;82,000 (pound;12,000)

Special

Up to 100 pupils: pound;20,000 (pound;2,000)

101-plus pupils: pound;28,000 (pound;3,000)

Capital formula budgets

Primary (250 pupils)

April 2000: pound;6,500

Nov 2000: a further pound;5,500 (total: pound;12,000)

April 2001: pound;9,750

April 2002: pound;12,000

April 2003: pound;20,000

Secondary (1,000 pupils)

April 2000: pound;19,000

Nov 2000: a further pound;17,000 (total pound;36,000)

April 2001: pound;28,500

April 2002: pound;35,000

April 2003 pound;60,000

School Standard Grant budgets

Primary

Up to 100 pupils pound;7,000 (up pound;1,000)

101 - 200 pupils pound;13,500 (pound;1,500)

201 - 400 pupils pound;24,000 (pound;4,000)

401 - 600 pupils pound;30,000 (pound;5,000)

601-plus pupils pound;48,000 (pound;8,000_

Secondary

Up to 600 pupils pound;58,000 (pound;8,000)

601 - 1200 pupils pound;70,000 (pound;10,000)

0ver 1200 pupils pound;82,000 (pound;12,000)

Special

Up to 100 pupils pound;20,000 (pound;2,000)

101-plus pupils pound;28,000 (pound;3,000)

Capital formula budgets

Primary (250 pupils)

April 2000 pound;6,500

Nov 2000 a further pound;5,500 (total: pound;13,000)

April 2001 pound;9,750

April 2002 pound;12,000

April 2003 pound;20,000

Secondary (1000 pupils)

April 2000 pound;19,000

Nov 2000 a further pound;17,000 (pound;36,000)

April 2001 pound;28,500

April 2002 pound;35,000

April 2003 pound;60,000