The claim comes in a report from Big Brother Watch, which also highlights concerns that there are more than 200 schools which have cameras installed in changing rooms and toilets.
In the 2,107 schools providing data in response to a freedom of information request, there are 47,806 cameras, a ratio of cameras to pupils of 1 to 38.
Ninety percent of the schools surveyed had cameras installed. The average number of cameras in each secondary school surveyed was 24, while the average number in each academy was 30.
The report – The Class of 1984: The extent of CCTV in secondary schools and academies – goes on to warn that the government’s proposed system of regulating CCTV is “not fit for purpose”, as the newly created role of surveillance camera commissioner has no enforcement or inspection powers.
“This research raises serious questions about the privacy of schoolchildren across Britain, with some schools having one camera for every five pupils and hundreds of schools using cameras in toilets and changing rooms,” said Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch.
“The full extent of school surveillance is far higher than we had expected and will come as a shock to many parents. Schools need to come clean about why they are using these cameras and what is happening to the footage. Local authorities also need to be doing far more to rein in excessive surveillance in their areas and ensuring resources are not being diverted from more effective alternatives.
“The Home Office’s proposed regulation of CCTV will not apply to schools and the new [surveillance camera] commissioner will have absolutely no powers to do anything. Parents will be right to say that such a woefully weak system is not good enough.”
The report makes three key recommendations:
- The Home Office code of practice for CCTV cameras should apply to all publicly funded bodies
- The surveillance camera commissioner must have the power to enforce the code of practice and penalties for breaching the code must be available
- The government should commission an independent review of CCTV use in schools to explore the evidential basis upon which cameras have been installed. This should include ensuring any school using CCTV has appropriate policies in place so teachers and parents are fully aware of why surveillance is being used, when footage can be viewed and by whom.
Responding to the report, a Department for Education spokesperson said:
“We have already acted to make it unlawful for schools to use biometric data like fingerprints without parents’ permission. CCTV can be beneficial in some cases but this is a decision that head teachers should take.
“Schools using CCTV are required by law to adhere to the Data Protection Act.”
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