A SOUTHEND grammar school has installed cameras in its toilets, sparking fears from pupils about a lack of privacy while using the loo. 

Shocked Southend High School for Girls students contacted the Echo after spotting one camera installed in each of the three sixth form toilet blocks when they arrived at school on Monday.

School leaders have insisted the cameras have not yet been turned on and that parents and students will be consulted before they go live. 

Students say they feel their privacy has been violated by the move and claim to have taken their concerns to school leadership.

Students allege they have been told the move to install cameras was “their own fault as the toilets had been vandalised” meaning CCTV was “needed”. 

This claim was put to the school and headteacher Jason Carey says he is looking at the “practicalities as well as the important safeguarding arrangements” regarding cameras in toilets. 

“I assume they have been installed because of vaping and people breaking stuff in the toilets which has happened before,” one sixth form pupil told the Echo.

“All the students feel really uncomfortable with this as it feels like a major invasion of privacy. I’ve never heard of any other school putting security cameras inside the school toilets. We’re especially uncomfortable because one of the security cameras is pointing directly at the urinal in the boys toilets.”

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Southend High School for Girls has a mixed sixth form.

Headteacher Jason Carey said: “We have recently been working with the student voice team and listened to their views and ideas about toilets.

“Safeguarding and the idea of being safe and feeling safe are important to us at Southend High School for Girls. With this in mind, toilets are the one area where students are not supervised. 

“At Southend High School for Girls we are fortunate to have exceptionally well-behaved students - however, we are not complacent and endeavour to ensure that every area of school is a safe place. Schools approach this agenda in different ways - cameras are part of this agenda and have been the case with our discussions with the student voice representatives.

“We are looking at the practicalities as well as the important safeguarding arrangements regarding cameras in toilets. Parents and students will be consulted.”