Meet the Fairy Godfather, the star of a new video and handbook for secondary teachers from the sexual health charity fpa.

The fairy, a curious cross between the actor Robert De Niro and Tinkerbell, is shown coming to the rescue of uptight maths teacher Jenny.

She is terrified when her headteacher asks her to take sex education lessons, a fear illustrated by surreal dream scenes in which she walks a thin plank in Wellington boots while her pupils bombard her with paper.

Alone and panicking in the staffroom, Jenny is visited by the Fairy Godfather who appears out of thin air in a winged suit, fedora and tutu.

She should find teaching sex education easier than maths because she will have a fascinated audience, he says.

“There is hardly an adult alive who doesn’t think about the s-word every day. As for teenagers, they think about it all the time.”

But while he comforts Jenny, the mafioso fairy turns threatening to teachers who borrow someone else’s training pack: “Get your own copy or you sleep with the fishes.”

The Fairy Godfather has already proved popular with teachers in Northern Ireland and the fpa, formerly the Family Planning Association, hopes he will be equally successful in England.

The pack contains guidance on the legal requirements surrounding confidentiality and child protection as well as a draft sex education policy which schools can use as a template.

Anne Weyman, chief executive of the fpa, said teachers were often nervous about discussing sex and relationships education with other staff.

“We hope the Fairy Godfather will inspire teachers and give them enough confidence to enjoy the subject and not feel overwhelmed,” she said.

The Fairy Godfather pack can be ordered on 01865 719418, priced pound;24.99