Education bodies are today warning the chancellor that he should not overlook education as he launches plans for a sizeable increase in health spending.

The Opposition is warning that any evidence that Estelle Morris has lost out in the funding battle with the Treasury will be seen as an abandonment of Labour's "education, education, education" pledge.

A tough spending settlement will also increase opposition to the government's plans to reform secondary education and increase the likelihood of industrial action.

The National Union of Teachers, the biggest of the teaching unions, told ePolitix.com that the shortage of staff is the cause of the rising workload and called for Gordon Brown to take urgent action.

"The money has to be there to achieve the aim of reducing the workload for teachers," said an NUT spokesman.

"Without sufficient money, the massive shortage of teachers from which schools are suffering will not be alleviated. It is no good putting off for two years the prospect of funds for teachers. Resources are needed now."

The view was supported by the Professional Association of Teachers which also called for more investment in nursery care provision.

"We would like to see as a priority in the Budget significantly increasing funding to reduce teacher workload, through more teaching assistants and other support staff, increased ICT provision and further reductions in class sizes - particularly at secondary level," said spokesman Deborah Simpson.