Many think it is inappropriate to teach children about sex, whilst others think it should be a parents' choice to inform their own child, according to a poll by baby product website babychild.org.uk.
The survey, published May 2011, which questioned more than 1,700 parents of children aged five to 11, found that 59 per cent do not agree with the fact that sex education is often taught to children in schools, even from a young age.
Almost half (48 per cent) of those questioned said children should be at least 13 years old before it is appropriate to teach them about sex, the survey found.
Of those that don't agree that sex education should be taught in schools, 41 per cent said it was inappropriate to teach youngsters about the subject, while one in four (28 per cent) said it should be the parents' choice to teach their own child.
A similar proportion (27 per cent) said there was no need for children to know about sex.
Contraception was the most popular topic that parents said should be covered in sex education lessons (chosen by 65 per cent), followed by puberty (49 per cent), homosexuality (48 per cent) and sexually transmitted infections (47 per cent).