A leading biologist and education expert yesterday called for creationism to be included in science lessons.

The Rev Professor Michael Reiss, director of education at the Royal Society, believes banning creationism from the classroom is likely to backfire with children who hold sincere beliefs.

He wants teachers to be open to discussing creationist ideas, which reject the concept of evolution and suggest that the Earth is only 10,000 years old, when they endeavour to explain scientific theories such as natural selection and the Big Bang.

Prof Reiss admitted he used to be "evangelical" about spreading the word of evolution when he taught biology in schools.

But he added: "I realised that simply banging on about evolution and natural selection didn't lead some pupils to change their minds at all.

"Now I would be more content simply for them to understand it as one way of understanding the universe."

Speaking at the British Association Festival of Science at the University of Liverpool, he said it was better for science teachers not to see creationism as a "misconception" but as a "world view".

Around 10% of British schoolchildren come from families with sincere creationist beliefs, said Prof Reiss, an ordained Church of England minister. In the US, the proportion of creationist schoolchildren was 40%.

Many of these children came from Muslim backgrounds or families with fundamental Christian views.

Teachers in science lessons ought to be willing to talk about creationism if students brought the subject up, said Prof Reiss.

At the same time as making clear that creationism is not accepted by the scientific community, they should convey a message of respect that does not "denigrate or ridicule" the children's beliefs, he said.

Prof Reiss said: "An increasing percentage of children in the UK come from families that do not accept the scientific version of the history of the universe and the evolution of species.

"What are we to do with those children? My experience after having tried to teach biology for 20 years is that if one simply gives the impression that such children are wrong, then they are not likely to learn much about the science that one really wants them to learn.

"I think a better way forward is to say to them look, I simply want to present you with the scientific understanding of the history of the universe and how animals and plants and other organisms evolved'."

Discussing creationism in a respectful way made it less likely that children would detach from science, he said.

He did not think children would be marked down for expressing creationist opinions in science exams, saying: "As far as I'm aware, examinations in science don't penalise students for giving their personal opinions."