Suffolk school sport in the spotlight this morning.

I wonder how many people caught the broadcast from King Edward Vl School in Bury St Edmunds on the Today programme this morning.  It was great to hear something so positive coming from Suffolk schools on national radio, and I am sure that more of the same will be heard in the future.

The feature was a response to Sir Michael Wilshaw (the OFSTED chief)'s complaint that too many top athletes come from the private sector and that state schools literally need to 'raise their game' in the area of competitive sport.

Whatever the rights and wrongs about this, it was good to hear the enthusiastic contributions from both the head and also from the children from Bury.  Clearly the featured sports event was not just for the host school but also other local schools, and even the young person who came 'at the back, towards the middle' of his race was enjoying himself.

The head seemed to have no problem in using the word 'competition'.  Not long in the context of school sport this particular word was anathema to educationalists, and there is no doubt that lack of team sports and a competitive ethos, made it hard to bring on talented youngsters in some parts of the state sector.  Many children who have succeeded from less well off families have done so because of huge sacrifices made by parents, who until recently have received little support from their child's school.  Changing attitudes, realisation of the health benefits of exercise, and also of course last year's Olympics, are now bringing about a change in culture, which can only be a positive.

Competitive sport allows children who may not be talented in other ways to have their chance to shine, and it is amazing how confidence built up in one area can quickly lead to success in other spheres too.