Student interest in rugby is surpassing that of football at one academy due to a programme which has been developing a legacy from the Rugby World Cup.

Pupils at King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy (KESH Academy) in Birmingham have been part of the CBRE All Schools programme for three years now and are seeing large increases in pupils wanting to take up the game.

CBRE All Schools was launched in 2012 by England Rugby to give pupils who had never had an opportunity to play rugby the chance to get involved.

PE teacher Terry Dight insists the children’s interest and development through the programme had surpassed all expectations – and the academy were seeing huge benefits in and out of the classroom.

“It’s overtaken our primary sport as we’re quite a football area, but the interest in rugby has now surpassed that interest,” he explained.

“The beauty of it is whatever shape or size you are there’s a place you can play. It gives all students an opportunity to take part.

“It’s really taken off, I didn’t expect it to go as well as it has and the support from CBRE All Schools has been superb.”

During the 2014/2015 season, over 130,000 students across the UK have be introduced and had the chance to experience playing rugby, twenty-thousand students have become regular participants, with 5,680 competitive matches organised between schools in the programme, and over 3,500 teachers and young leaders being provided with rugby training.

Male and female students have got involved with rugby at the KESH Academy school, in lessons and after classes, with many representing their house teams in fixtures.

The academy has also begun competing in fixtures against other nearby schools and recently entered the NatWest Schools Cup.

And Mr Dight believes the programme, which has seen the school receive extra funding and visits from specialist coaches, has had a far-reaching impact on the academy as a whole.

“There’s been a huge impact on behaviour,” he added.

“Bonding, team work, team spirit and students becoming decision makers; all those are skills that physical activity and sport does develop and those social skills have had a big impact in the behaviour.

“It’s often referred to as the hidden curriculum those things that happen through the teaching without having a lesson in it.”

Year eight pupil, Leon Mills, has got into rugby through the programme and is now looking to join a local club when the season gets back underway in the autumn.

“The opportunity is great because I was not the best at football or any other sport really," he said.

“Rugby is, for me, my favourite sport with all the aggression, adrenaline, tackling and scoring tries.

“It’s like it was made for me, it’s helped me become stronger and fitter, get to know more people and make friends within the rugby team.”

England Rugby’s CBRE All Schools is a nationwide programme which is increasing the number of state secondary schools in England playing rugby. It is designed to create a sustained celebration of rugby and a lasting legacy for school children, schools and communities. With 400 more schools now playing rugby, by 2019 CBRE All Schools aims to reach another 350 secondary state schools who don’t currently play rugby and create a positive legacy one million children.