Apology call to minister.

PARENTS demanded an apology from Ruth Kelly last night after the Education Secretary admitted several registered sex offenders were allowed to work in schools.

Ms Kelly announced an urgent review after confirming Paul Reeve, who took up a job as a PE teacher, was not an isolated case.

Tony Blair issued an unprecedented vote of confidence, insisting she will keep her job.

But pressure on Ms Kelly mounted when Sir Michael Bichard, who headed the inquiry into the Soham killings, said he was "disappointed" the lessons of the tragedy had not been applied.

Mr Reeve was cleared to work at the Hewett School, in Norwich, last year, even though he received a police caution for accessing banned images of children on the internet and was on the Sex Offenders Register. Margaret Morrissey, spokeswoman for the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, called the news "terrifying".

"Ruth Kelly should apologise for allowing people on the Sex Offenders Register to work in our schools," she said.

Reeve worked at the Hewitt School, Norwich, for eight days before police raised the alarm and he left.