Latest figures from the Active Schools programme in Scotland show that the number of children taking part in the initiative increased by 5 per cent over the past 12 months – resulting in a record-breaking 309,000 young people getting active through the scheme.

Delivered in partnership between sportscotland and all of Scotland's 32 local authorities, Active Schools is designed to provide high-quality opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity before school, during lunchtime and after school.

The total number of sessions organised under the Active Schools programme increased to 7.3 million during 2017-18 – an uplift of 6 per cent on 2016-17.

Based on a network principle, the programme also has a focus on developing effective pathways between schools and sports clubs in the local community.

"The success of Active Schools is the result of strong local partnerships between Active Schools teams, school staff, sports development teams in local authorities, regional managers from the governing bodies, and local sports clubs," said Mel Young, chair of sportscotland.

"By working together, we can deliver more and better opportunities for young people of all abilities to take part in sport as these latest figures show."

A survey of more than 4,000 Scottish school pupils showed that 98 per cent of Active Schools participants feel healthier thanks to their involvement in the activities, while 94 per cent are motivated to be more active in the future – and 92 per cent of those surveyed felt more confident.