The council has identified several projects it believes are a priority.

They include making mainstream schools fully accessible to disabled users as well as updating libraries and sports facilities throughout the city.

Additional nursery places in deprived areas of Bristol are also to be made available for under-fives.

The funding being proposed will help us tackle essential repairs and modernise learning environments for thousands of pupils

Peter Hammond, Bristol City Council

In some cases, funding had already been set aside for the improvements, said a council spokesman.

In others, the work will go ahead if funding is successfully won from the government.

Peter Hammond, deputy council leader, said: "Education is at the top of the council's list of priorities.

"Besides all the long-term work being done in the primary and secondary reviews, we haven't lost sight of the importance of having well-maintained school facilities on a day-to-day basis.

"The funding being proposed will help us tackle essential repairs and modernise learning environments for thousands of pupils."

New site

Bristol City Council is also seeking an additional �8m from the government to build a new secondary school in north Bristol.

A decision from the government is expected in the new year.

A further �15m has already been agreed by the council to rebuild Fairfield School on a new site.

In February, an education expert was appointed to turn around Bristol's failing schools.

The city was the seventh worst education authority in the country for GCSE results in 2001, coming 143rd in the national league tables.