The Big Brother school with 112 ‘spy’ cameras

A SCHOOL was yesterday branded a “high security prison” after ­installing 112 CCTV cameras to spy on pupils.

Stoke Park School has an average of one camera for every 10 children Stoke Park School has an average of one camera for every 10 children

This means there is an average of one camera for every 10 children.

Furious parents and civil rights groups said the cameras were “totally over the top” and demanded they are removed.

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Stoke Park School and ­Community Technology College in Coventry – which has 1,090 pupils aged 11 to 18 – has 79 security cameras fixed inside and 33 outside.

The school spent £50,000 on the taxpayer-funded cameras and an extra £12,000 a year running costs.

The cameras track pupils’ every move and are monitored 24 hours.

One teacher, who did not want to be named, said several members of staff were “privately angry” about the numbers of cameras.

The teacher said: “You literally cannot walk anywhere around the school without being watched. The only areas where the cameras are not installed are the toilets, staff room and classrooms.

“Ironically, when there have been problems with students it has happened inside the classrooms where there are no cameras evident.

“I know a number of teachers and teaching staff who are privately quite angry at the large number of cameras up around the school.

“Over the past few months the school has suffered from graffiti, anti-social behaviour and thefts but I personally do not think this is the way to go to solving the issue.

“As I understand it, the cameras can be accessed by senior members of staff both inside the school and online. I think there is also a ­company which monitors the tapes if asked to by the school.”

Father-of-two Dan Austin, 40, said: “All ­parents want their children to be safe at school but this is over the top. It’s like sending your kids to a high security prison.

“I don’t like the idea that children are being monitored so closely – it instils a dangerous lesson that no one is trustworthy.”

Civil rights campaigners also called for the school to cut the number of cameras. Daniel Hamilton, from Big Brother Watch, said: “Wouldn’t the school be better off spending the money on educating their pupils, rather than spying on them? CCTV should be used ­sparingly to help solve serious crimes, not to watch schoolchildren going about their day.”

Acting head teacher Marie ­Harrison said: “The school has installed CCTV cameras in key areas including corridors and the perimeter of the site. There are no cameras in toilets or changing areas.

“This has been one of a number of measures taken by the school in ensuring children’s’ safety and ­minimising damage in and around the site.”

But Salford University’s Dr Emmeline Taylor, an expert on the impact of CCTV in schools, said the cameras can be “counterproductive”. Ken McAdam, adviser at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, added: “You have to question the need for that many cameras.”

Details of the cameras were revealed in a Freedom of Information request.

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