Some more traditional sports activities can put pupils off PE

Announcing a shake-up in PE lessons in England's schools, he said football, cricket and athletics were the bedrock of school sport.

However, the government wanted to encourage new sports in schools in an effort to make teenagers exercise more.

Teachers would be expected to emphasise the health benefits of exercise.

Currently all schools in England should provide at least two hours of PE a week - but this rises to four hours by 2010.

The education secretary was outlining his plans to change PE lessons for 11 to 14-year-olds so that the link between exercise and health is emphasised and better understood.

Speaking at a school sport conference in Telford, Mr Johnson said: "It was an absurd and perverse political correctness which caused competitive sports to be banned in some schools and I hope we never see a return to such nonsense".

"Children will always want to take part in a range of sports - some where they challenge themselves against their own goals; some where they compete against other people.

"What is important is that pupils are active and understand how it is benefiting them in the broadest sense."

Options

According to the Department for Education and Skills, schools offering a more unusual curriculum for PE - such as golf, cycling and archery - are seeing increased popularity in sport.

Ministers want competitive team games such as football and performance activities such as gymnastics to remain.

But they will change the curriculum rules to widen the choice of activities which can be taught.

In Bromley, south London, some schools are introducing boxing for pupils, under the supervision of the Amateur Boxing Association of England.

Boxing has not been taught in schools since 1962, when a campaign to ban it from PE classes won popular support.

Football is still taught in 98% of schools but one in 12 schools does not offer athletics.

Last year, 71% of pupils were involved in competitive internal school activities such as house or class matches and leagues, the government says.