Schools in Craven are hoping to produce the next Jessica Ennis or Andy Triggs-Hodge after being given around £300,000 to spend on PE and sport.

Each primary school in the area is being given more than £8,000 of sports funding.

Headteacher at Carleton Endowed Primary, Duggie Speight, said: “Schools are really enthusiastic about sports in this area. It will be money that can easily be put to good use and it’s really very welcome.”

He is planning to buy new athletics and tennis equipment to capitalise on the way children have been inspired by the Olympics and Wimbledon.

“The children have been really enthused by the Olympics – they’re really into athletics at the moment,” said Mr Speight.

“We’re doing some work with gymnastics and dance as well to try to encourage both boys and girls to take part.”

The school is also going to spend some of the money on sports training for staff, some on providing more activities before and after school, and some will go towards the local school sports coordinator, who delivers competitions within local schools. The funding, announced by Children’s Minister Edward Timpson last week, amounts to more than £600,000 for primary schools in the Skipton and Ripon constituency.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, welcomed the announcement. “After the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and with the Tour de France now less than a year away, this investment shows the determination of the Government to maintain the momentum,” he said.

“This money aims to help ensure that all children have a chance to enjoy sport in school and compete against their peers. I hope it leads to us finding and developing the Andrew Triggs-Hodges, Lizzy Armitsteads and Danielle Browns of the future.”

It’s part of a new £150 million fund that will go directly to state primary school headteachers in September.

The money is ring-fenced, so has to be spent on PE and sport, but each headteacher will be able to decide exactly what to do with it.

Schools will be held to account by Ofsted inspectors, to show how well they spend the money to improve PE and sports and get more children involved.

Announcing the funding, Mr Timpson said: “The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were the highlights of a tremendous year for sport in Britain.

“The Government is determined to maintain the momentum.

“We want to ensure that all of our children have the chance to enjoy sport in school, and compete against their peers, and we want to promote and celebrate sporting excellence at a young age.”