CCTV cameras are being used in the toilets or changing rooms of a Preston school.
Moor Park Business and Enterprise School in Deepdale is one of more than 200 schools in England, Scotland and Wales which have installed closed circuit television cameras in these areas.
The details were published by the Big Brother Watch campaign group following a request made under the Freedom of Information Act to 2,107 schools.
The results showed that 207 schools were using cameras in toilets or changing rooms, including Moor Park, which revealed it had fitted four.
The privacy campaign group warned there were more than 100,000 CCTV cameras in total in secondary schools and academies.
Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “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.
“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 reign in excessive surveillance in their areas and ensuring resources are not being diverted from more effective alternatives.”
Peter Cunningham, the head teacher of Moor Park, was unavailable for comment.
John Ferris, Lancashire County Council’s head of commissioning, building design and construction, said toilet cubicles or areas where children get undressed would never be covered by cameras.
He said: “Site security and the safety of pupils are the reasons why schools have CCTV systems and the majority of secondary schools in Lancashire have these systems.
“Within the school buildings cameras tend to be placed in areas of high pupil circulation and entrances or exits to the school. In recently built schools and following guidance from the Department of Education, central washroom areas are covered by cameras, but never toilet cubicles and changing areas.
“The number of cameras and where they should be located are a decision for the governing body of the school.
“They are the experts on local conditions such as where a break-in might occur or where bullying could potentially take place.
“Schools follow guidelines which determine which staff members can view CCTV footage.”
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