Croydon Council has blasted claims in national newspapers that it has told teachers to ban Christian pupils from wearing religious symbols.

Under the headline School ban for crosses but not Muslim lockets, The Sunday Telegraph wrote that the council had told schools they should ban crosses and crucifixes but allow Muslim children to wear religious symbols. A similar story appeared in today's Daily Express.

However, the council claims the reports were inaccurate and said headteachers had not been told to ban religious symbols.

Instead it said it issued draft guidelines, written by a religious education consultant, to school governing bodies in March with advice to help teachers deal with issues relating to different faiths and beliefs - including guidance on sport and PE lessons.

The guidelines include a section on jewellery and says while schools should operate a no jewellery policy there are circumstances where children cannot remove religious symbols for sports lessons and teachers should be sensitive to the needs of children from those faiths.

The guidelines list jewellery which either cannot, or should not be removed for PE, including the Hindu bracelet, Rahki, and the Sikh bracelet Kara.

Councillor Maria Gatland, cabinet member for education, said: "The main point to reiterate about these guidelines is that we are living in a Christian country and on the whole headteachers know about Christian traditions, not least because school holidays are built around them.

"The draft guidelines are intended to help them with their knowledge of other faiths and in particular how they should relate to sports and PE.

"There is absolutely nothing prescriptive in the guidelines, which have been drawn up in the manner of questions and answers.

"Croydon Council would not entertain banning the wearing of religious symbols.

"It is deeply disappointing that elements of the national media have chosen to present a provocative and mischievous slant on such a sensitive subject."

The council is currently producing a redraft of the guidelines following feedback from schools.

The document is due to be considered by the independent Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education next month.

Only if the committee approves the document will the guidelines be published.