Effective discipline and a competitive spirit in schools help boys to narrow the gap in examination results with girls, Ofsted has found.

The education watchdog said that boys have an "excuse to succeed" in schools in which the teachers commanded respect through a combination of high expectations and humour.

Commenting on the report, schools standards minister, David Miliband, said: "We have to crack the lad culture that stops too many young boys doing well at school. This culture tells boys that it is fine to play around and not work hard.

"But this harms their chances of doing well, getting their exams and fulfilling their potential."