PROTESTS by outraged parents have forced a primary school to reconsider its use of an "explicit" sex education video.
Selsdon Primary School intended to show the film, which includes footage of a couple having sex and a baby being born, to pupils this week.
But after being barraged with complaints, head teacher Nicholas Wollaston told parents the film would not be shown pending "further consultation".
The Living and Growing DVD, produced by Channel 4, was taken off the shelves last July, and an edited version produced, after schools minister Nick Gibb described it as "shocking".
Parents Joseph and Emma Reynolds led the campaign to stop the unedited version being shown to their eldest daughter, ten-year-old Alicia.
"Parents were told about the video in advance, but no details were given about the contents," said Mr Reynolds, 29, of Fieldway, New Addington.
"It was only when I did some research that I discovered it had been pulled off of the shelves by a Government minister because of how explicit it is.
"I'm very open-minded, but why does my ten-year-old daughter need learn about boys having wet dreams or see two people having sex?
"At no point during the video does it explain that what is being shown is wrong for children of that age."
The partly-animated film shows cartoons of naked people running around a bedroom, tickling each other with feathers, before having sex in two different positions, while the narrator says "isn't this nice".
It also features pop band Cleopatra encouraging kissing with tongues, and uses an explicit word for masturbation.
"The sex scene could actually be classed as pornography," said Mrs Reynolds.
"Many parents are concerned and I know the teachers are uncomfortable teaching this subject so graphically. We know our children best, and this is a disgraceful film to show nine and ten-year-olds."
Last Thursday Mr Reynolds handed leaflets out to other parents warning them about the "highly inappropriate" video.
Around 30 parents attended an advanced screening last week, where they were told that pupils would be shown only certain sections of the tape.
Mr Wollaston told the Advertiser: "We have used selected sections of the Living and Growing series of programmes for a number of years, in common with many other schools.
"It has never been our practice to use all sections of the series. We make it clear in our prospectus that parents may withdraw their children from Sex and Relationships Education. Parents were reminded of that at the meeting when the video was shown."
However, in a text message later that day, Mr Wollaston told parents: "Concerns have been raised since parents were shown (the video), so we will not be commencing until after further consultation."
Croydon Council said it was "confident the school was approaching the matter in the right way".
