The government must allow faith schools to teach sex education with their religious ethos, councillors have voted.

A motion, backed unanimously by councillors at full council in January, stated that faith schools should be allowed to teach sex education within their religious ethos, as they must respect the laws and cultures of the society in which they live.

Cllr Brian Gordon, who put forward the motion, said tolerance must be shown to the religious beliefs of faith school around the way they teach sex and sexuality.

Cllr Gordon said: "In the same way children should be taught not to harbour prejudice and hatred and violent desires towards others, tolerance and understanding has to be shown towards people’s religions and their values.

"It is wrong, and I would say counter-productive, for faith schools to be penalised or marked down for failure to teach particular aspects of sex and sexuality that are counter to their religious ethos."

The motion was backed by councillors across all parties, and calls for the government to include the principle of allowing faith schools to teach in this way as part of its guidelines and for Ofsted inspectors to be sensitive to this issue.

It comes as the Department of Education consults on potential changes to way sex education is taught.

A spokesperson for the department, though agreeing generally with Cllr Gordon's motion, said it is important that all aspects of sex education are taught in every school, though the way it is taught can made to fit the religious ethos of a faith school.

The spokesman said: "Relationships Education will be compulsory in all primary schools and Relationships and Sex Education in all secondary schools; this includes all faith schools.

"Our guidance will support schools in ensuring that teaching is appropriate to the age and religious background of pupils."

According to the 2011 census, 41 per cent of Barnet’s population are Christian, 15 per cent are Jewish, 10 per cent are Muslim, 6 per cent are Hindu, 1 per cent are Buddhist, and 0.4 per cent are Sikh.