We appreciate the feedback that we have had around our school toilets, in particular the vaping, damage and graffiti. We have taken your concerns and those of our students and staff and we would like to inform you about the pending decision to install cameras in some of our school’s toilet areas.

Over the past few years, there have been incidents of vaping, damage and "tagging" in some of the school toilets. As a result, we have consulted with our Board and Senior prefects and have decided to install cameras (as a number of schools now have) in the wash-basin area to help monitor and prevent such incidents. The cost in time and money in rectifying the damage is considerable.

We assure you that the cameras will be placed in a way that protects the privacy of students while still allowing us to monitor any inappropriate behaviour. To ensure privacy, the cameras would NOT be angled at the cubicles.

Our priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, and we believe that the installation of cameras in the toilets will assist us to achieve this goal. We have consulted with other schools that have installed cameras in a similar fashion and they have noticed a huge decrease in vandalism and vaping.

Below are some Frequently  Asked Questions (FAQ)

How often will footage be monitored? None of our current cameras around the school campus are monitored by staff all of the time; they are instead used by the Strategic Leadership Team to view footage when issues are reported to us.

Who will have authority to access footage? Strategic Leadership Team (Assistant Principal’s  / Deputy Principal’s / Associate Principal / Headmaster) / Deans/ Technician (for technical support only) / Privacy Officer.

Is there audio?

No audio is recorded 

Will the recordings be kept?

The data will be deleted at regular intervals

How can we ensure there is privacy for students and that they feel confident and safe while using the toilets? Cameras would only be in common areas, not cubicles.

Will there be signage?

Signs will also be in place before the cameras are operational.

Has outside advice been sought?

Yes, we have considered advice from the Ministry of Education, other schools that have already installed cameras and the Privacy Commission. 

Your Feedback Matters

This decision has not been made lightly, and we are committed to balancing security with the privacy and well-being of our students. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Privacy Officer, Mr. Darrell Harvey, at d.harvey@wc.school.nz