An Anglican church leader in Australia has backed gay and lesbian students taking same sex partners to school dances.

Archbishop Phillip Aspinall said he had no "personal objections" to schools allowing gay and lesbian pupils to bring their partners to formal events.

The comments come following news of a Brisbane school which last week insisted students take a member of the opposite sex to their school formal.

Many students at the Churchie Anglican Church Boys Grammar School wanted to take their same sex partner to the June event and raised the issue with a senior member of staff.

Churchie headmaster Jonathan Hensman said none of the students had approached him directly, but a staff member had raised the issue on their behalf.

"The senior dinner dance is an opportunity for our young men to escort a young woman in a formal school environment," Mr Hensman told New.com.au.

"We don't intend to change our practice. As well as being a social occasion, it's an education forum and to that end the school decides what is appropriate behaviour and what is not."

"Not all students take their girlfriends. Some take a female friend. It's about protocols and decorums," he said.

Though supporting the gay student, Dr Aspinall, who is president of the school's council, said the school had a right to enforce a ban on same-sex partners if "it felt the move was necessary."

"I understand that in this particular instance the school has decided that its approach is to emphasise the interaction of young men and young women and provide them with an opportunity to do that in this kind of formal setting and I have no objection to that either," he told the Australian Daily Telegraph.

"I think that's a reasonable and legitimate approach for a school to take."

"The Churchie formal is not about being gay. It's about being treated fairly and equally and being respected," added former student Dale Hinds, 20.