Primary schools in England are to benefit from a sports funding boost, courtesy of the Premier League.

Representatives from the organisation announced that the three-year £10.5 programme will see football clubs forge even greater links with local primary schools.

Community coaches from 67 professional football clubs – includes teams not playing in the Premier League – will be deployed to primary schools to offer their expertise and enhance the quality of PE and sports-related lessons.

It comes on the back of a successful pilot, which was trialled last year. This saw over 25 clubs deliver 66,000 sessions to over 103,000 pupils in 1,279 schools.

Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, said: "The success of the first year of this initiative has given clubs the confidence to roll it out further and complement the huge amount of work they are already doing in the secondary school sector."

Children's minister Edward Timpson added that high-quality PE and sport needs to be at the "heart of every school's curriculum", explaining that research has shown that regular physical activity has a positive impact on performance.

He said that evidence outlines a clear link between keeping fit and experiencing improved cognitive function, behaviour and concentration, which can help contribute to wider attainment.

"Instilling PE and sport in a child’s life as early as possible can bring enormous benefits and can really help set them up to stay fit and healthy for life," the MP for Crewe and Nantwich elaborated.

"One of this government’s key objectives is to improve the quality of PE and school sport both through the primary PE and sport premium and through building better community links between schools and local clubs."

According to the NHS, one in every five children aged between ten and 11 is obese, with the World Health Organization regarding the condition as one of the most serious global public health challenges in the 21st century.