Ed Balls to let faith schools teach ‘homosexuality is wrong’

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Critics condemned the Government for caving in to demands from Catholic schools for more freedom to decide how they teach about sex.

The Conservatives are now expected to back a government amendment that would protect the right of faith schools to teach sex education "in a way that reflects the school's religious character".

Children's Secretary Ed Balls insisted that he was not "watering down" the Children, Schools and Families Bill — which will make sex education compulsory in all state schools from the age of five.

State schools will have to teach pupils about contraception and the importance of stable relationships, including civil partnerships, under the Bill. But Catholic schools claimed they had forced Mr Balls to introduce a new amendment making clear that they will be free to teach that they believe abortion, contraception and homosexuality are wrong.

The Bill is set to complete is passage through the House of Commons today with the Tories expected to back the amendment.

Mr Balls said the amendment simply "clarifies the status quo".

He said the Bill was "a major step forward", adding: "Catholic schools can say to their pupils that, as a religion, we believe contraception is wrong, but what they can't do is therefore say they are not going to teach about contraception."