The Education Secretary, Gillian Keegan, has promised to "inject some common sense back into schools and society more generally" after reports that some schools are allowing children to identify as cats, horses and dinosaurs.
There have been widespread reports of children wearing "tails and ears" in class and teachers failing to challenge animal identities for fear of disciplinary action.
The government is preparing new guidance on how schools should deal with children who want to change genders. A draft will be sent out for consultation before the end of the summer term.
"At its heart will be parents, ensuring their voices are central to decisions being made about their child in school," said Mrs Keegan.
Writing in The Telegraph, she said it would be "totally inappropriate" for teachers to enforce a child's desire to identify as a cat, and that what is taught in lessons must be fact-based.
"We must inject some common sense back into the classroom and society more generally," she said.
"The classroom is a place where fact should be taught as fact and opinion as opinion.
"Children should be able to indulge their imagination in the playground, especially when they're little, but it goes without saying that absolutely no child should be forced to affirm a classmate's identity as an animal or inanimate object."
Mrs Keegan said that the Department for Education was investigating the specific case that sparked the 'cat gender' row.
She added that forthcoming guidance on Relationships and Sex Education lessons "will restate and emphasise the point that contested views must not be taught as fact".
There have been reports of a backlash among Tory MPs against Keegan's proposals to allow children to "socially transition" and use the pronouns of their choice if there is parental consent.
