SIR Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School in Medway, with the top honour, a gold award, leads 18 Kent secondary schools which have been named winners in this year's Sportsmark Awards.

The national award is made to schools that can demonstrate a commitment to PE and sport and that work in partnership with their local community to provide a range of out-of-school-hours activities.

Across England, 507 schools have won the award and 51 of them have achieved the gold award. Sport England senior development manager Steve Padfield said: "We are delighted with the success of schools in Kent and Medway. Sport is fundamental to the way these schools teach young people about how to work in a team and to appreciate fair play."

Among other benefits, Sport England has teamed up with the Football Foundation and Barclaycard to offer Sportsmark schools the opportunity to apply for free football kit. In the six years the scheme has been running, more than 3,000 schools have applied and received an award.

Kent award winners (SM = Sportsmark; SMG = Sportsmark Gold; D = Distinction): Brockhill Park School - SM; Broomhill Bank School -SM; Chatham House Grammar School - SM; Chaucer Technology School - SM; Gravesend Grammar School for Girls - SM; Highsted Grammar School - SM; Hillview School for Girls - SM; Homewood School and Sixth Form Centre - SM; Invicta Grammar School - SM; Kent College, Pembury - SM; Meadows School - SMD; Sandwich Technology School - SM; Sittingbourne Community College - SM; The Abbey School - SM; Wilmington Hall School SM; Medway

Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School - SMG; Temple School - SM; The Thomas Aveling School - SM