Best Schools - Ofsted says schools should teach pupils about same-sex couples

All children must learn about same sex couples regardless of their religious background, the head of Ofsted says.

Hundreds of parents protested outside a Birmingham school against it teaching pupils about same sex couples and gender identity.

Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman told the BBC it was crucial children were exposed to differences in society.

She said it was important children knew "there are families that have two mummies or two daddies".

Parents of Muslim and Christian faith have held demonstrations outside Parkfield Community School in the Alum Rock area of the city, where children are taught about same sex couples through story books.

Mrs Spielman said the lessons were "about making sure they [children] know just enough to know that some people prefer not to get married to somebody of the opposite sex and that sometimes there are families that have two mummies or two daddies".

"It's about making sure that children who do happen to realise that they themselves may not fit a conventional pattern know that they're not bad or ill."

In light of the protests, Mrs Spielman said there needed to be a "careful exploration of the middle ground" but lessons covering LGBT topics were important.

Brexit: What happens to the Erasmus student scheme in a no deal?

The Erasmus scheme is an EU programme that helps students study in other countries.

Currently 53% of UK university students who do learn abroad, do so through the scheme. In 2016-17, 16,561 UK students participated in overseas programmes, while 31,727 EU nationals came to the UK.

Erasmus is also involved in vocational training and work overseas, as well as with teachers who want to work or train abroad.

The government has published a technical note explaining what would happen to participants in the scheme if the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

Some students have been warned that funding for their trips planned for the 2019-20 academic year is in doubt, while some universities have said they will provide funding to ensure exchange schemes can continue and Universities UK has launched a campaign supporting opportunities for studying abroad.

Here's why.

The government is committed to funding everything that has already been agreed, so people who have already started Erasmus trips will be able to continue them.

But there is a problem with 2019-20, which is that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal before the exchanges for the next academic year have been finalised, then the government would need European agreement to keep taking part.

That is true for both UK students planning to go to EU countries, and EU nationals hoping to come to the UK.

So the government has said that it will negotiate with the European Commission to try to get the 2019-20 programme agreed, but those negotiations cannot start until after the UK leaves.

That is why students have been receiving letters saying that the funding of their 2019-20 trips is uncertain.

The Department for Education told BBC News that it was "seeking to engage the Commission as soon as possible to seek clarification and discuss further what they are proposing".