CHANGES to how school sports are funded have led to huge increases in the amount of young people taking part in sports after school in the past few years.

They have also led to more pupils being taught by specially trained PE teachers and schools offering more varied sports, from cricket to new age curling.

A newly released report into sport in the district's schools reveals the how much PE has changed in schools, especially from the days where lessons were sometimes limited to learning forward rolls and cartwheels on mats in the school hall.

Since September 2013, the district's primary schools have been given an annual £1.38 million in Primary PE and Sport Premium, money that can only be spent on PE and sports in school. This mean each primary school gets between £8,000 and £10,720 a year.

Since then, 90 per cent of schools have reported an improvement in the quality of sports teaching, while 80 per cent say there has been more pupils participating in after school sports activities.

Although the funding was only originally due to end at the end of in 2016, there have been hints by the government that it may be extended until 2020.

The extra money has coincided with a number of different programmes designed to increase sports among young people, such as tournaments involving local schools.

Schools are able to spend the money as they see fit, as long as it benefits PE and sports. 86 per cent of schools have used it to provide more sports training to existing staff, while many used it to buy new sporting equipment, provide more extra curricular activities and employ new sports coaches.

The changes have led to 70 per cent of schools changing who delivered PE lessons, with the use of expert sports coaches from outside the school rising from 38 per cent to 82 per cent. Schools with specialist PE teachers rose from 22 per cent to 54 per cent.

A recent survey of schools by the council found that 90 per cent felt the funding had led to an increase in the quality of PE teaching, 80 per cent said they were now using a wider variety of sports equipment, and on average each school was able to offer three more sports than it did before they received the premium.

In school time schools report an 80 per cent increase in pupil engagement during PE time while the same number of schools reported an increase in extra curricular participation.

Two thirds of schools started getting involved in inter school sporting events.

And teachers say the changes were having a good impact on pupils. A third of schools said the premium had an impact on behaviour, with children having increased confidence and improved physical fitness.

Numerous sports programmes across the district have also increased the amount of PE children are involved with. Bradford Aquatics provides Key Stage 2 swimming to 141 primary schools across Bradford, with an average pass rate of 70 per cent. The national average is only 45 per cent.

There are numerous inter school sports competitions in sports including football, golf, gymnastics, boccia, new age curling and tag rugby.

The Marley Schools Football Festival, held just outside of Keighley, involves 150 teams from 49 schools, and Bradford sends the largest contingent of schools to the West Yorkshire School Games.

Councillor Ralph Berry, executive for children's services on the Bradford Council, said: "Bradford has a strong tradition of school sports, and we have strong links with Bradford Bulls, Bradford City and other teams.

"Sports England has spent quite a bit in Bradford, and we have used a lot of health grants on sports facilities. There is a clear link with children's physical health and their learning, and it can really help with young people's self confidence.

"Sports programmes mean all young people are able to enjoy sports, not just the most able.

"There is a lot of work going on and there is a clear commitment to making sports work in schools.