SCHOOLS in Gloucestershire will benefit from the £150million sport funding announced last week by Prime Minister David Cameron.

In a continuing effort to secure legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games, the Prime Minister has announced the extension of primary school PE funding until the end of the decade. The total investment will now total £750million over five years.

Mr Cameron had previously promised that primary schools’ head teachers would be given extra cash to fund PE lessons and other sporting activities for two years.

Officials say that the money is now worth £9,250 per annum to the typical primary school with 250 pupils, enough to pay for a teacher or an appropriate coach to oversee sporting activities two days a week.

Mr Cameron said: “Sport is so important because it encourages children to be active, lead a healthy lifestyle, make friends and, of course, have fun. But quality school sport has benefits that spread right across the curriculum and beyond – it develops confidence and a sense of achievement, it teaches young people how to rise to a challenge, and nurtures the character and skills that will help them get on and succeed in life.”

An extra £11million will also be invested in the Sainsbury's School Games events, which aim to get more young people involved in competitive sport with classmates and pupils from other local schools.

The School Games are coordinated by a Local Organising Committee and a network School Games Organisers with the support from Active Gloucestershire.

The 2014 Sainsburys School Games began at the end of January and continue until June.