Greig City Academy. Picture: Tim Waters

Hornsey school defends decision to have CCTV in toilets

by Flora Drury Thursday, September 20, 2012
5:43 PM

»A Hornsey school is one of 200 nationwide which has CCTV in its changing rooms and toilets, it has been revealed.

Greig City Academy admitted to having cameras in the toilets when asked by campaign group Big Brother Watch, which released a detailed report into the use of CCTV in schools last week.

But the academy, in Hornsey High Street, has defended the decision to install CCTV, saying: “Greig City Academy has CCTV cameras installed in a number of locations both inside and outside the school buildings – including some in the communal areas of toilets. The cameras are not hidden and all students are aware that they are there.

“The cameras have been installed purely as a proactive preventative measure to reduce the risk of bullying in a long recognised hot spot in all schools in the country. The cameras are obviously not installed in cubicles or positioned in an inappropriate way that would intrude on students’ privacy.

“If the cameras were not there we would be leaving the students vulnerable and failing in our duty of care. If the presence of these public cameras prevents one child from being bullied, their deterrent effect will have been worthwhile.”

Big Brother Watch also singled out Wood Green’s Heartlands High School for having the third highest ratio of cameras to students in the country – but headteacher Simon Garrill was quick to dismiss the figures as “misleading”.

He said: “Heartlands High is a new school and currently has three year groups. This report was published on our number on roll last year (324) and gives a misleading representation of the ratio of cameras to students in the school.

“The school will have a roll of 1,080 when full in 2014 and there are currently 62 cameras. This will leave the school with a ratio of one camera to 17 students when full. The cameras are used in corridors, stairwells and outside spaces to ensure the safety, security and wellbeing of students and staff.”