Local primary schools across Oxford will be receiving professional training from coaches at Oxford United Football Community Trust as part of a new scheme helping children achieve their sporting potential.

The partnership between Oxford City Council and Oxford United Football Community Trust (OUFCT) is being launched with the aim of improving physical education.

Through the scheme, coaching staff from OUFCT will be supporting teachers as they teach PE.

Oxford City Council’s Sport and Physical Activity Team will also be involved.

During the sessions coaches will be receiving both practical and theoretical training from the team. Sessions have already begun, with further training to take place in January, and May.

The ‘Primary Stars’ project, funded by the Premier League, has launched across the UK, with over 5,000 primary schools across England and Wales now involved.

The scheme currently has space for five primary schools within Oxford in areas of Blackbird Leys and Rose Hill; with Oxford City Council’s Sport and Physical Activity Team looking to expand the programme in the future.

Councillor Linda Smith, Executive Board Member for Sport, Leisure and Parks, said: “This scheme perfectly illustrates the council’s objective of promoting physical activity through working in partnership with others on inspiring initiatives such as ‘Primary Stars’.”