I spy - a pupil in the toilets

- 27 December 2006

ON CAMERA: A posed picture of what the CCTV cameras might see in school toilets

CHILDREN as young as four are being filmed in school toilets across Barking and Dagenham.

The Recorder has discovered a number of CCTV cameras have been installed in primary and secondary schools.

Officials at Barking and Dagenham Council claim there is no secrecy around the cameras, but have refused to disclose which schools are involved in the controversial scheme.

Council bosses have in the past vigorously defended pupils' identities and have even refused to name youngsters pictured in Recorder articles - yet questions are sure to be raised about the privacy and rights of pupils being caught on camera.

Despite contacting every school in the borough, the Recorder received no responses. We have therefore been forced to submit an application for the details under the Freedom of Information Act - the response to which will be due on Tuesday, January 23.

The revelations may panic parents worried about the tapes falling into the wrong hands.

Cllr Jeanne Alexander, executive member for children's services, admitted she was unaware of the situation, but said the decision was each school's alone to take.

She said: "It was the place where bullying happened when I was school, and schools have tried all sorts.

"It's down to the heads and governing bodies - our headteachers are sensible people. They wouldn't do this unless there was a problem. There must be a reason for it. CCTV is not cheap. Our schools are sensible and money is so tight.

"Also, pupils often break pipes and cause floods and they put toilet paper in the sinks.

"I think it's going to help. We have to take strong action on bullying.

"There'll be parent governors on the governing body so they should be keeping the other parents informed."

A Barking and Dagenham Council spokesman added: "We do have CCTV in certain school toilets, but we won't specify which schools for obvious reasons - we don't advertise the fact.

"But they are not in the cubicles and pupils will not be filmed in the cubicles.

"They are in various positions facing the wash basin areas.

"There's no secrecy around the cameras - most pupils know because it's for their own safety.

"We have them in primary and secondary schools. We don't want to say how many of the schools they're in. They're there for the safety and security of both pupils and staff.

"We're increasing what schools we have CCTV in. Eventually we want to have them in most schools.