This emerged following a successful planning seminar in Dundee when it was resolved to set up a working party to shape future strategy. “We’re not in there to do sport’s job, we’re in there for educational purposes,” explained the chairman Charles Raeburn after an upbeat weekend.

“We were very pleased at the turn-out and the support of the Scottish Office and HMI and there were lots of ideas,” he added. “Indeed there were reasonably positive noises all round.”

Out of the weekend came confirmation that the role of school sport would appear to be still very important in the foreseeable future.

“Sport people would best see that we do need school sport and vice versa, ” affirmed Raeburn.

Among those who addressed the seminar was Fraser Henderson, the former deputy director of education for Lothian, who encouraged the body to be more ambitious.

The seminar was attended by many schools associations including football, rugby, athletics, swimming and tennis as well as the Scottish Office, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate, local authorities, the Scottish Sports Council and Scottish Sports Association.