Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull has been forced to apologise after giving their year 7, 8 and 9 students homework that asked them to define hardcore pornography.

The Church of England school, named after the soon to retire Archbishop of York, sent the homework as a part of students' Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). It asked student to define a number of terms, including 'soft porn', 'hardcore porn', 'sexting' and 'transgender pornography'.

HullLive reported that a number of parents were shocked to find out what their children had been asked to do, with some only finding out after other parents raised the issue on Facebook.

The 25 year old brother of one of the students commented:

The Principal of the Academy, Chay Bell, has apologised to parents saying:

CARE's Family Policy Officer Jonathan Williams commented:

"Relationships and Sex Education is a sensitive subject that must be handled with care. This incident at Archbishop Sentamu Academy is a clear example what happens when schools do not engage with parents and overstep the mark in what any sensible adult would think is age appropriate RSE.

"It appears that the leaders at the school did not have any real idea what materials were being sent to pupils and have hastily removed them once it was highlighted how inappropriate and dangerous they are.

"It is naïve to expect that students will not use the internet in their homework. Asking them therefore to define such inappropriate terms is opening up the great risk that students will be exposed to harmful and damaging content.

"Ahead of the implementation of statutory RSE this September, schools must learn from this incident and ensure that they are cautious and sensitive in putting their RSE curriculum together, as well as involving parents in the process."