Crumbling schools in East Sussex need more than £35 million structural and modernisation work to bring them up to standard.

The figure was revealed in a report presented to an East Sussex County Council Cabinet meeting yesterday.

The East Sussex Asset Management Plan revealed schools in the county had a £26 million backlog of maintenance work.

Dozens more schools needed new or modernised buildings, bringing the total needed for East Sussex schools to £35 million.

East Sussex may receive as much as £4.4 million in condition grants and £4 million in modernisation grants under the Government's New Deal for Schools programme in the next three years.

The grant is allocated to all education authorities via a formula based on pupil numbers and needs identified in the asset management plan.

An East Sussex Council spokesman said education authorities throughout the country were in a similar position, adding: "The Asset Management Plan is now classified as being satisfactory and we are awaiting confirmation of the allocation of the New Deal for Schools Condition Grant."