Less than half of school children in Britain do the minimum recommended 30 minutes daily exercise. The survey commissioned by Norwich Union Healthcare found that only one in eight children get the ideal amount of physical exercise per day and just one in five do one to two hours per week.

Ken Brown, head-teacher at Hartington Middle School comments: "I am not really surprised at the findings. Only a minority of children make full use of the sporting facilities available to them, whereas a large number dip into one or two activities but will not sustain them on a regular and committed basis.

"There has been a growth in individual activities such as rollerblading and a shift away from team sports. There is also a narrow base of sports in this country - only the popular games of football, rugby and cricket are catered for sufficiently."

A survey of children at Hartington Middle School - by Kate Wademan, on work experience at the Keighley News - presented differing results from those of the report.

The children, aged between 9 and 13, took part in an average of 1 hour and 30 minutes of physical exercise per day.

James Dourandish, aged 11, said: "I like all types of exercise and especially enjoy playing football. I do about 2 hours per day."

Charlotte Wood, aged 10, said: "I exercise for 5 hours every day including school PE lessons. I learnt to rollerblade a year ago and also cycle, walk and swim."

Carly Wilkie, aged 10, said she dislikes exercise. she added: "The only exercise I do is in PE lessons. I prefer to watch television."

Luke Binney, aged 10, agreed. "I don't do a lot of exercise - I would rather watch television after school," he said.

Jennifer Foulger, 13, also dislikes exercise. "I don't like exercise at all and I also dislike PE,"she said. "After school I prefer watching television."

Mixed feelings:

pictured right, from top, Hartington Middle School pupils Charlotte Wood,

Luke Binney, Jennifer Foulger, James Dourandish, Carly Wilkie

Chairman of Parkside Governors, Robin Jackson says: 'The way we see things developing in this area, relative to building developments and the potential increase in the numbers of children, there shouldn't be any conflict.

'I don't see there being any basic problem, and at the end of the day it comes down to parental choice.

'I would suggest that, if anything, having secondary education at Parkside will strengthen the situation in the whole catchment.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.