A bingo-style homework project in which pupils are asked to look out for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters and references in TV shows has been developed by education experts.

The game, proposed by the Sex Education Forum, encourages children as young as 11 to analyse how same-sex relationships are portrayed by the media.

It involves a card with 12 squares to be crossed off, for example if a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender character is shown during an episode of any show.

The bingo card in the Sex Educational Supplement (volume one, issue three) being used as homework

It is one of a series of teaching resources developed by the forum, which is funded by members including the Church of England, the NSPCC and local councils.

But campaigners last night dubbed it an ‘inappropriate’ homework topic and said it would not be supported by many parents. Norman Wells, director of the Family Education Trust, said the game promoted an ‘unhealthy obsession with sex’.

He added: ‘This activity encourages pupils to focus on sexual characteristics and behaviour to the exclusion of everything else. ‘It also gives disproportionate attention to lifestyles and sexual feelings which are very much in the minority.’

The forum has launched the game in the latest edition of its termly e-magazine for teachers, which focuses on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.

In a section on Key Stage Three (ages 11 to 14), it recommends ‘media bingo’ as a homework activity, using a card with 12 squares.

These are: straight women visible; lesbians visible; bisexual women visible; straight men visible; gay men visible; bisexual men visible; trans men visible; trans women visible; bisexual people talked about; trans people talked about; same-sex relationships talked about; opposite-sex relationships talked about’.

The magazine says: ‘Ask pupils to pick a programme and see if they can cross any of the items off the bingo card in one episode.

‘When pupils bring their bingo cards back ask them if anyone got a full card. Did anyone get only one box?

Brooke Vincent (left) currently plays lesbian character Sophie Webster alongside Amy Kelly (Maddie Heath) in Coronation Street. Pupils are asked to pick a programme and see if they can cross off ant items on bingo card

‘What did they notice about visibility/invisibility? Were same-sex and opposite sex relationships treated in similar or different ways?’

Lucy Emmerson, coordinator of the Sex Education Forum, said: ‘Young people have repeatedly said that discussion about same-sex relationships and transgender people is often completely absent in school sex and relationships education. Getting pupils to think about characters they know from soaps, TV and films is a useful way to open up discussion.’

The Sex Education Forum is based at the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), a charity which receives government money for specific projects but not for the forum or e-magazine.

Members of the forum – such as the Church of England’s education division, Methodist Church, Brighton and Hove City Council, Brook and the National Secular Society – pay £120 a year for subscription including VAT.