Blatchington Mill has picked up the Youth In Action award for December after producing six national sporting stars.

Footballer Sam Rents, ice-skater Lesley Gold, basketball forward Joe Evans, swimmer Claire Manton, tennis ace Natasha Khan and gymnast Katie Seabrook have put the school on the national sporting map.

The success of the Year 11 pupils has helped the Hove school scoop the Youth In Action School of the Month award for December.

Linda Whapham, head of PE at Blatchington, said: "It's fantastic to have so many outstanding sports competitors in one year.

"We've had some talented boys and girls over the years, like Julie Pullin, a British No.1 tennis player, Michael Standing, a footballer who went to Aston Villa, and Claire Smithson, an international field athlete.

"But I've never known so many to come through at the same time in my 12 years at the school. They are great role models."

Whapham believes these achievements are due to the school's philosophy of support.

She said: "We want to encourage anyone who wants to reach the top in their sport to go as far as they can.

"We try and work around their sport and forge links with clubs to help their development.

"The reason we are here is to support the children as much as we can.

"Look at Natasha. She is in Hamburg at an International Tennis Federation junior tournament this week.

"The award is a nice way to be recognised. Natasha and the others put in a lot of hard work."

Natasha, 15, is a British international and helped Great Britain under-16s to victory in Sweden. She is a member of an LTA training squad in La Manga.

Sam, also 15, is with the Albion Centre Of Excellence set-up and England under-16s training squad.

Sussex champion Katie Seabrook is in the British Gymnastic Association junior squad.

Whapham said: "Katie is aiming to compete in the 2004 Olympics.

"She has been making good progress for couple of years and went to Moscow to train with a top Russian club a couple of years ago."

Claire has been selected for England in an international in Dublin against Wales Scotland and Ireland in March.

She said: "Blatchington will back up any pupil who wants to do sport. It has modern facilities and lots of people who encourage you to do your best."

Lesley will take the first step to qualifying for the British Junior Championships next month after battling back from injury.

The 15-year-old, who is a regular top-ten finisher in national competitions, said: "I broke my ankle and that put me back last year. But I have been working hard and hopefully a test I am taking next month will lead to the qualifiers proper.

She is coached by former British figure-skating champion Joanne Conway, who also guided Brighton and Hove prospect Laura Bird.

Lesley said: "I have to get up at about three in the morning a couple of times week to meet Joanne at 5.30am in Guildford. It is not easy but I enjoy it.

"Joanne is a great motivator and a very serious coach."

She is also grateful to the school. "They can be lenient when it comes to lessons. We can miss certain non-core subject lessons."

Joe, 16, has been been chosen for the England junior squad.

He said: "I am delighted. The school has a good coach and team. I have also progressed through clubs like Brighton Cougars, Brighton Bears and London Towers."

He is part of Blatchington under-16s team hoping to complete a national cup double.

Joe was a member of the school team which claimed the national B cup two years ago. Now the school is in the last eight of the national under-16s A competition. Joe said: "It is much the same side."

The school has a batch of county sports aces in hockey, badminton and cricket.

Whapham said: "The cricketers have joined the county and links with Brighton and Hove Hockey Club are getting stronger too."