A survey by the National Association of Head Teachers, two years after the launch of the Grid for Learning, claims that there is a "scandalous" level of variation in the amounts spent on educational technology across Britain.

For instance, while spending on software and computers in Dudley in the West Midlands is over £35,000 a year per school, in Derbyshire the average spent per school was only £3,300.

David Hart: "Scandalous" that funds are not being taken up

The NAHT says the great differences in spending are a consequence of local education authorities failing to bid for the government money available for developing the Grid for Learning and connecting schools to the Internet.

Local authorities which were "lagging behind" were "failing schools in the drive to raise standards", said the NAHT's general secretary, David Hart. Such an unwillingness to fund the Grid for Learning was "nothing short of scandalous".

"There is a real danger that a significant number of schools will not receive the cash they need to modernise. Local authorities which block schools' access to adequate funding are doing a grave disservice."

In response, the government has said the Grid for Learning project was still on course.

"This is a five-year programme, not a two-year programme. We do recognise the need for local education authorities to provide high quality bids and we would certainly encourage them to do so," said the Schools Minister, Charles Clarke.

"The government is investing £1bn in improving access to, and teacher training in, information and communications technology.

"The money available up to 2002 will ensure every school will benefit by connections to the National Grid for Learning and every teacher who needs it will have access to the right training.

The NAHT published its survey results showing the local authorities that had spent the most and least as an average allocation to schools:

Top 10 spending authorities per school:

Dudley £35,714
Telford and Wrekin £25,057
Knowsley £25,785
Barking and Dagenham £19,080
Birmingham £17,131
Newcastle upon Tyne £16,532
Bristol £16,469
Kensington and Chelsea £15,936
Brighton and Hove £15,894
St Helens £15,582

Bottom 10 spending authorities:

Derbyshire £3,335
North Lincolnshire £4,118
North Yorkshire £4,244
Gloucestershire £4,310
Wiltshire £4,637
Northumberland £4,740
Sandwell £5,515
Enfield £5,608
Essex £5,738
Cornwall £5,779