Use of CCTV at OLOL

At OLOL, we have a number of CCTV cameras for security and safety reasons. There are cameras on the exterior of the building but there are also cameras in interior spaces where pupils congregate and move to allow us to be vigilant in monitoring pupil behaviour and wellbeing. There are cameras in our main reception space. There are no cameras in any toilet space in school or in any classroom. The school displays a warning sign alerting the community to the use of CCTV and no covert surveillance is taking place. 

We can access the images captured for a short window of time but this allows us to be able to investigate any incidents involving pupil, parents, staff or people who visit our school, should any incidents occur.

CCTV is for our internal use and is only shared with very specific external agencies (Police) if we are legally required to do so as part of a lawful investigation, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in the investigation of any incident, our Insurance Companies in the course of any investigation they may have etc. Data subjects may make a request (a Subject Access Request) but if their data is mixed with the data of others we will not share footage and will instead share a Summary Report (see below).  

Parents do not have a right to access our CCTV footage. There are strict rules around accessing the data that belongs to individuals. Parents may make a request to see footage but if there are other children in the footage, in order to protect their privacy, we are unlikely to agree to sharing the data with you. Parents may make a formal request to review but using data protection legislation, it would be very rare that we agree to sharing what we store. Parents legitimate reasons for asking are not always the same as our legitimate reasons for refusal. 

If an incident happens and we share with you that we have witnessed a behaviour on CCTV, this means that a senior member of the school staff (who is allowed to have access), plus the class teacher most often will have already reviewed the incident and will be feeding back to you what has been seen. It is our hope that parents will receive this feedback as an honest review of what has been seen. The staff have no reason to lie about CCTV footage that can be checked by the senior staff. As well as a verbal feedback, staff can give a parent a written incident summary of the events witnessed (this is a descriptive document detailing what your child is witnessed doing in the footage)

All authorised operators with access to recorded images are aware of the procedures that need to be followed when accessing the images. All employees are aware of the restrictions in relation to access to, and disclosure of, recorded images.

Legal Framework for School CCTV

1. Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA): The primary law governing CCTV use in schools is the DPA. It outlines guidelines for collecting, storing, and using personal data, including footage captured by surveillance cameras. Schools must process data fairly, securely, and transparently. The Information Commissioner’s Office provides detailed guidance to ensure compliance.

2. UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Schools must have a lawful basis (such as public interest) for operating CCTV and be transparent about its use. Privacy notices and appropriate signage are essential. Balancing legitimate needs with privacy rights is crucial.

3. Surveillance Camera Code of Practice: If CCTV is used for crime prevention, schools must adhere to these standards. The system should be proportionate and not excessively intrusive.