Parents are to be forced to allow their children to have sex education before the age of consent, the Government announced today.

Under the new laws, when children reach 15 their parents will lose the right to withdraw them from sex education.

At present parents can remove their children from lessons about sex until they are 19.

The move forms part of new laws that will make sex education compulsory in primary and secondary schools from 2011.

Times Archive, 1914: The teaching of sex hygiene

Speaking of these subjects must tend to break down the children's natural modesty

• Mr G. Bernard Shaw on sex instruction

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Faith schools will not be able to opt out of any part of the new curriculum, although they will be able to teach topics within the “ethos of their faith”.

Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, said: “Sex and relationship education is a very important element and we see it as crucial to our drive to reduce teenage pregnancy.”

The move is in response to a year-long review of sex education which found that 40 per cent of pupils are dissatisfied with the quality of teaching provided by schools on the issue.

A survey of parents, commissioned by the Government, suggests that 40 per cent believe children should attend sex education lessons but almost a third (30 per cent) said that the right to opt out was important regardless of the child’s age.

Under the new curriculum, pupils as young as 7 will learn about puberty and the facts of life and 5-year-olds will be taught about parts of the body, relationships and the effects of drugs on the body.

When they reach secondary school, pupils will learn about contraception, HIV and Aids, pregnancy and different kinds of relationships — including same-sex unions and civil partnerships.

Schools will be allowed to teach the subject “in line with the context, values and ethos of the school”.

It means that children at some faith schools could be taught that their religion frowns on the use of contraceptives at the same time as learning about condoms.

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