Children who shout out in lessons are more likely to do better in maths and reading than their quieter classmates, research suggests.

The study found evidence that blurting out answers in class can be good for a child's learning.

It concludes that pupils who always shout out can be nearly a year ahead of their quieter peers who have similar levels of inattention in lessons.

Researchers from the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University looked at the maths and reading assessments of 12,251 four and five-year-olds at 556 schools in England.

The children were tested in English and maths at the end of their first year at school using a computer programme.

Teachers were asked to rate pupils' behaviour and impulsiveness based on three different factors - blurting out answers before questions have been completed, having difficulty waiting their turn and interrupting and intruding on others, such as pushing into conversations or games.

Hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention are all symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The findings, published in the Learning and Individual Differences journal, suggest a link between shouting out in class and attainment.

It suggests that children who continuously blurt out answers have up to a nine-month advantage in reading and maths compared with pupils who had similar levels of inattention in lessons but never shouted out.

The researchers also found a strong link between inattention and under-attainment.

Lead report author Professor Peter Tymms, head of Durham's School of Education, said the results were interesting.

"I think that as far as teachers are concerned a child that shouts out can be a bit of a nuisance. To find that they (the child) can benefit from it is quite interesting."

He added: "Children with ADHD symptoms who get excited and shout out answers in class seem to be cognitively engaged and, as a result, learn more.

"Perhaps those children also benefit from receiving additional feedback and attention from their teacher."