LONDON, UK - The Government has come under pressure after faith groups secured an amendment to a Bill that would allow faith schools to teach sex education according to their ethos.

The amendment was tabled last week by Education Secretary Ed Balls after extensive lobbying by the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales.

A Bill passing through Parliament next week will make sex education compulsory in schools across England from 2011.

Under the Bill, children as young as five will be taught about puberty and relationships in Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education lessons. Children aged seven to 11 will learn about same-sex relationships, civil partnerships, marriage, divorce and separation, while secondary school children will learn about sexual activity, same-sex relationships, STDs and contraception.

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Editor's Note:  A time reference was updated from the original version of this story.