More than 600 primary schools in England will be able to improve their outdoor sports facilities and physical activity spaces following a funding boost from Sport England.

The £18m investment, from the Primary Spaces Facilities Fund, will see 601 schools receive grants of up to £30,000. The new spaces will enable schools to improve PE lessons, increase activities at break-times and open up playgrounds to the community.

Sport England has prioritised schools with limited existing outdoor sporting spaces for the grants.

Sebastian Coe, the Prime Minister's Olympic and Paralympic Legacy ambassador, said: "A positive first experience of PE and sport at primary school is crucial to encouraging young people to be active throughout their lives, but for those schools with little or no outside space this can be extremely challenging to deliver.

"This funding will provide better outdoor multi-activity play areas at schools across the country that can be used both within the curriculum and outside school hours by local communities. I am convinced this will boost the opportunities for young people to be physically active."