Compulsory sex and drugs classes aged five

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Personal, social and health education will be a new subject on the national curriculum from the age of five.

At present, parents can withdraw children from classes on sex and relationships on moral grounds until the age of 16. That is being reduced to 15, meaning every pupil will receive at least one year of sex education before they are legally allowed to leave compulsory education.

The move could cause problems for Catholic schools, which may be required to teach about homosexuality and contraception. Ministers have suggested faith schools will receive further guidance on how to comply with the rules.

Under the plans, children as young as five will learn about body parts and differences between boys and girls. In secondary school, pupils will study sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, marriage and civil partnerships.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls was setting out the plans in a statement to MPs today. The move follows a review by Sir Alasdair MacDonald, head of Morpeth School in Tower Hamlets.

A government consultation found four out of five parents and adults thought all children should receive sex and relationships education. But the same proportion also thought parents should retain the right to keep their children out of sex education classes up to the age of 16.

A government source said that only a "very small minority" of parents chose to take their children out of sex education classes, and the right to withdraw was being retained until pupils reach the age of 15.

The source said 15 was "the age around which it seems most consensus can be reached".

The classes will teach children in primary schools about "some of the dangers" of drugs, which could include discussions of cocaine and heroin. The risks of alcohol and drug abuse will be covered in more detail once pupils reach secondary school.

Children of all ages will learn about finance, money and debt as well as other issues relating to health and wellbeing.

Margaret Morrissey, from campaign group Parents Outloud, condemned ministers for "infringing parents' rights". She said the Government should leave families to bring up their children.