A leading headteacher has said that independent schools should be proud of their Olympic record and that the presence of boys puts girls off sport.

Caroline Jordan, who is headmistress at Headington School, Oxford, said that girls are more likely to enjoy sport at single-sex schools because there are no boys to "impress".

She also argued that private schools should not be "embarrassed" by the number of Olympic athletes they have produced, but proud of the achievement.

Private schools educate seven per cent of British children, but accounted for 32 per cent of Team GB’s medals at the Rio Olympics of this year, according to Schools Week figures.