A SPORTS initiative designed to motivate disaffected youngsters is to be expanded to include more Bolton pupils this year.

Harper Green School in Farnworth is to use the Living for Sport scheme, run by the Youth Sport Trust and BSkyB, to help inspire a group of Year 11 boys.

Over a six week period the boys will have access to gym facilities at Bolton Arena and will exercise using individual programmes.

The aim is that by giving the teenagers sporting challenges they will gain self-confidence and self-esteem.

Assistant headteacher Lesley Powell said: "Last year we used the initiative for girls and it proved to be really successful."

Living for Sport works with 11 to 16-year-olds to develop interpersonal, leadership and coaching skills, and aims to reignite their enthusiasm for learning.

Harper Green School will be one of 250 schools across the country running the scheme this year, following a successful pilot last year which included St Joseph's RC High School and Sports College in Horwich and Thornleigh Salesian College in Bolton.

The pilot was independently evaluated by the Institute of Youth Sport, which found early indications that the scheme was successful.

These included improvements in punctuality; general improvements in behaviour and improvements in attendance for physical education (PE) lessons.

Most importantly, teachers reported that relationships with staff and peers improved; students became more articulate; their attitude to school improved; and they developed leadership skills and the ability to handle confrontation.

For more information about the Living For Sport programme, visit www.sky.com/lfs