Children at specialist sports colleges may develop significantly higher physical self-esteem compared to those at traditional state schools, a study claimed today.

The report revealed that after just one academic year, sports college pupils' confidence had grown about their sporting ability, their physical strength and condition and their physique compared to those at a regular comprehensive school.

The findings are especially relevant, coming shortly after the Government encouraged schools to set higher targets for physical activity in the curriculum to help fight against obesity.

The results also revealed that the effect was considerably more noticeable in boys than girls, with boys reporting much greater changes in physical self-worth compared to girls.

The Northumbria University study carried out at Ashington Community High School Sports College and a non-specialist comprehensive school, both in Northumberland, examined almost 300 Year Nine students.

At Ashington, pupils have three hours per week of physical education, compared to two hours in non-specialist schools.

The research was carried out by Gordon Macfadyen, Dr Sarah Partington, Dr Liz Partington and Dr Kevin Robertson from Northumbria University's division of sport sciences.

Enhancing

Mr Macfadyen said: "The findings reinforce the notion that the sports college curriculum is more successful in enhancing aspects of physical self-worth than that in traditional state schools, particularly for boys.

"Attendance at the sports college had a beneficial effect on all components of physical self-worth for boys.

"In particular, their perceptions of sports competence and the importance they attributed to sports competence increased substantially after attending the sports college for only one year, a finding that was not replicated at the control school.

"This indicates that the current curriculum, which has a particular emphasis on sports competence, is successfully achieving its aim."

Kieran McGrane, director of PE and sport at Ashington Community High School Sports College, added: "The boys' results have reinforced the staff perceptions. They seem to be more engaged and happier at school.

"We have also seen a marked improvement in the number of pupils studying PE at GCSE level.

"Prior to becoming a sports college in 2001, approximately 60 to 70 pupils per year would study it, now we have 135 GCSE PE pupils so it's a good indicator that something positive is happening."

The research team now hope to examine the difference between the genders and find ways to redress the balance.

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