"It also found that the course met the aim of introducing students to the language and nature of ethics and ethical issues," Ms Firth said.

She said ethics courses would complete existing scripture classes if they were introduced throughout NSW rather than compete with them.

"(It) would simply provide an alternative without diminishing in any way the importance of religious classes for other families," Ms Firth said.

The Reverend Peter Lin, the Fairfield Anglican minister, said he would be happy to see an ethics course offered to every student but that he had reservations about the way the trial was conducted.

"I'm unhappy about them being given as an alternative to scripture," Mr Lin said. "There's no reason ethics classes can't be taught at another time; there's no practical reason to put them against scripture."

Mr Lin said students had always been able to "opt out" of scripture classes but that the mood in public schools over the past few years had been reversed, so that now students had to actively "opt in".

"If nobody tells parents they have to 'opt in', their kids are just sent to the library or something like that," he said. "I certainly think a church presence in the schools has benefits beyond the scripture classes.

"We encourage the kids in our congregation to be involved in the school community and the parents to be involved and volunteer and things like that."

Fairfield Teachers Association president Glenn Hokin said it was important to give students and their families the opportunity to make their own decisions about religious education.

"Ethics classes are an important alternative," Mr Hokin said.

"In general, teachers are always in favour of providing as many opportunities as possible for students to make the best use of their time.

"Rather than kids sitting there doing nothing, surely it makes sense to get them engaged in some other valuable activity."