Schools across England are being given extra cash to improve their facilities for sports and arts.

About 300 schools will get a share of a �130m fund.

One of the winners is Victoria Park Junior School, in Greater Manchester, which receives one of the biggest awards - about �400,000.

The money is being used to build a new music and arts room and a library.

Playing sport in school can have a positive impact on attendance, behaviour and attainment

Estelle Morris, education secretary

Children there have been having music lessons in a changing room, because no where else is suitable.

Head teacher Kath Sutherland says the school was not designed with current teaching practices in mind.

"It is very open-plan so noise really carries, and sound from lessons which are busy and practical, like music and art, can travel along the corridors," she said.

"The new rooms will increase creativity, giving teachers and children the freedom to do art and music without worrying about interrupting other lessons in the school."

The school plans to use the facilities to run more after-school activities.

The new rooms will also be let out to community groups for pottery, weaving and music classes.

The grants to primary schools ranged from �38,420 to �500,000.

On a visit to Grafton Primary School in Islington, which is receiving funding for a new hall, the Education Secretary Estelle Morris said: "Playing sport in school can have a positive impact on attendance, behaviour and attainment.

"That's why we are investing in primary schools around the country to give pupils more chances to play sport.

"This will make a real difference to thousands of pupils, parents and teachers."

Three Rs

Children are meant to have at least two hours of PE a week in school.

But teachers complain that sport, music, drama and some other subjects, are being squeezed out of a curriculum which is dominated by the three Rs.

The grants for new facilities came from the "Space for Sport and Arts programme", which links the Department for Education with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the New Opportunities Fund, Sport England and the Arts Council of England.