Ofsted recently published a report Going The extra mile: Excellence In Competitive School Sport warning too many pupils are being denied the chance to take part in competitive sport and it is often treated as an optional extra.

As the report shows, there is much that needs to be done to increase standards and opportunities within all schools. This is a subject I have raised repeatedly in Parliament. Sport is crucial for young people: Healthy active lifestyles, raising skill and confidence, teamwork and nurturing a new generation of athletes. The Government is rightly taking action: l We have made a long-term commitment to the annual £150m ring-fenced funding to boost primary school sport provision; roughly the equivalent of an extra two days a week of a primary teacher or sports coach’s time.

We have contributed £51m towards the School Gamesprogramme.

l We have increased funding to deliver an extra 240 primary PE specialists, to take up post September 2015, to provide vital sporting expertise in schools.

l Our Troops To Teachers programme fast-tracking former service personnel to help fill the shortage of PE teachers.

I would like to see public owned state schools offering their facilities for free to sports groups who offer sessions for children after school.

This would benefit both children and busy parents. It seems odd that when volunteers are prepared to give up their time to organise constructive activities for children, we would then seek to charge them for the privilege.

Thankfully, in Swindon the picture is more positive. Last Friday I helped open the third annual Swindon School Games, alongside Team GB athlete Lesley Owusu.

Like the Olympics, the opening ceremony came alive thanks to musical performances from Commonweal School Band and Wroughton School’s modern dance group. In spite of the wet weather we saw a fantastic day’s celebration of school sport for primary and secondary schools, held at Lydiard Park Academy, the Link Centre and the Delta Tennis Centre, with hundreds of children competing in a variety of sports.

This shows that with the right efforts, sport can play a key role in the school programme and the success of the Swindon School Games is a tribute to the work of our local schools, volunteers and sporting groups.

Growing up I was always proud to represent my school, whether it was football, cricket or athletics, though it was fair to say my school didn’t need a trophy cabinet – all character-building stuff! I’ll continue to do what I can so today’s children can enjoy the opportunities of competitive sport.