Schools across UK have reached their activity targets a year early, according to a government report.

The 2006-07 School Sport Survey found that 86 per cent of pupils now participate in at least two hours of PE and school sport per week. The figure is just above the 85 per cent target set by government for schools to reach in 2008.

The government attributed the results to strong investment and an expansion in the number of options open to young people.

Ed Balls, secretary of state of children, school and families, said: “These latest figures reflect the considerable investment we’ve put into school sport, as well as the leadership provided by Youth Spot Trust and Sport England, and the work of School Sports Partnerships and local sports coordinators on the ground.”

Other key findings from the report, which was based on a survey of more than 21,700 maintained schools across the country, showed that competitive sport is on the increase, with 58 per cent of schools holding intra-school competitions.

The variety of sports offered at schools is also rising. Secondary schools now offer an average of 22 different sports, while the average for primary schools is 16.

Another significant factor to the rising activity levels is the increase in the amount of schools which have built links with local sports clubs.

He said: “Now we need to concentrate on the children who are not taking advantage of these opportunities. We know that girls, especially as they get older, often stop taking part in sport.

“To make a big difference in child health, we need a new kind of partnership between government, schools and other local services and parents. There’s a role for government in getting regulations right and there’s a role for schools in showing leadership. But it’s what parents and kids do at home and after school which matters most.”

Earlier this year, the government announced an additional £100m of investment in school sports, with the target of giving every child the chance of five hours of sport per week.