Nine out of ten children take part in at least two hours of organised physical activity at school each week, up from just 25 per cent in 2002.

The dramatic increases in activity levels are revealed in the government's 2007-8 School Sports Survey, which was published yesterday.

According to the report, four million young people are now doing two hours of sport in schools, largely thanks to the improvements to school sport following the £2.4bn investment made by government which will run up to 2011.

The figure is also above the 85 per cent two-hour target the government set for this year.

The survey reveals a large increase in competitive sport participation – with 375,000 more pupils playing inter-school fixtures and half a million more playing competitive games within their own schools, like house and league matches.

Schools are also able to offer a more diverse range of activities, including dance, martial arts and golf.

Announcing the results, children’s secretary, Ed Balls, said: “We have made massive progress in the last few years and laid a firm foundation for a permanent 2012 Olympic legacy.

"It’s a testament to the fantastic, hard work of the Youth Sport Trust, schools and sports clubs.

“Ignore the half-pint full critics who carp nothing has changed. School sport was a national embarrassment a decade ago. Sport had all but withered and died in many schools; thousands of playing fields had been sold off; there was negligible investment; and an ingrained anti-competitive culture.

“School and youth sport has now never been as well funded; there is a permanent infrastructure and support in place; and more children doing PE and sport than ever before. Children don’t want to be wrapped in cotton wool - they want to compete at their own level, in the sports they want.

“We now need to raise our game to persuade more children to make the right choices and exercise outside school - children exercising more sport in the holidays and after school so all children can do at least five hours a week.