Boccia and new-age kurling offered to Derby secondary school pupils

The school is also offering pupils access to self-defence classes

A secondary school says it has seen an increasing number of pupils taking part in physical activity after introducing a range of alternative sports.

Murray Park Community School, in Derby, said it was still offering the traditional cross country, netball and football sessions but hoped to broaden the appeal of its sports teaching.

It is now offering boccia and new-age kurling.

A school spokeswoman said: "Not every pupil enjoys traditional PE."

The school said it had seen success following the introduction of its new team sports

A team from the Mickleover school recently beat off competition from other city schools at a boccia and new-age kurling festival and are through to the county finals.

Boccia is a Paralympic sport, similar to bowls and pétanque, while new-age kurling is an adapted from of the sport of curling.

Meanwhile, a Year 7 team from the school won every match in a city benchball tournament, benchball being a team game in which players need to pass a ball to a player standing on a bench.

School sports co-ordinator Rachel Hollins said she hoped to encourage children who were not interested or did not feel confident in mainstream sport.

She said: "Not every pupil enjoys traditional PE but as a school we recognise that the benefits of sport - for mental and physical health - are so important we should be encouraging every child to find an activity that they do enjoy.

"Opening up opportunities for our children to try new sports has meant that some children are experiencing sporting achievements, perhaps for the first time in their school life.

"We can't underestimate the importance of that, for confidence building, health and the subsequent impact that has on their classroom-based academic learning."

Other sports offered to pupils include badminton - in which they can access classes with former Commonwealth Games champion Donna Kellogg - padel, a combination of indoor tennis and squash, mountain biking, self defence and cricket.