Ruth Kelly will visit a school in Newham

Ruth Kelly said sporting values were also relevant in core subjects.

Her remarks come as an influential independent review of UK sport says children should have four hours' PE per week - double the current amount.

Ms Kelly said drawing inspiration from the Olympic Games could make lessons "more interesting."

And she said enthusing children for the London Olympics could help discover future sporting champions as well as encourage children to do their best at school.

Emulating heroes

The education secretary was speaking ahead of a visit to Cumberland School in Newham, a London borough at the centre of the Olympic plans, to open a new playing field.

The visit marks 2,500 days before the London Olympics opening ceremony.

Ms Kelly said the Department for Education and Skills will work with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and other partners to develop new ways of bringing the Olympic Games into curriculum material.

"Olympic values like dedication, teamwork and sportsmanship are as relevant in the classroom as on the sports field," she said.

"We also know that sport can spur children on to do their best, not only in emulating their heroes, but also stimulating interest in core subjects."

She encouraged schools to consider the opportunities the 2012 Olympics could offer for teaching various subjects.

She suggested studying diversity and international cultures, as well as the history of the Olympic movement, in subjects such as history and geography.

On Thursday many sports colleges are holding assemblies to consider how the London Olympics can motivate children.

Ms Kelly said they could involve professional coaches or athletes, who could talk about their careers and experiences.

Efficiency

The report into sport in the UK, written by former Labour sports minister Kate Hoey and former Conservative sports minister Lord Colin Moynihan, also concluded that various quangos which currently administer sport in the UK should be disbanded.

The study - the largest independent review since 1960 - said a single body would lead to greater efficiency.

Richard Caborn said there had been a net gain in school playing fields

The report will not be binding upon the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Some schools have said it is not possible to make more time for sport in school because the national curriculum does not allow it.

But sports minister Richard Caborn told BBC Radio 5 Live that many more children were now doing more than two hours' sport per week - the current government target for all children - than in 1997.

"Not only do we want to get up to two hours a week, we want two or three hours of extra physical activity or sport," he said.

He said government investment would target state schools to try to bring their facilities up to the standard of many independent schools.

"We will use the Olympics to give the signal that we want to make sure that there is more sport in schools," he added.