A SECOND school in York has written to parents over issues around CCTV cameras close to toilets.

As The Press reported last week, parents with pupils at Archbishop Holgate's CE School in Badger Hill got in touch with reports of protests from students there during the school day on Friday, February 24.

It followed the siting of a new CCTV camera close to a toilet block entrance.

On that occasion, a spokesperson for the school said that the issue with the CCTV camera was immediately addressed and no student was suspended for expressing their views.

Now the head at Millthorpe School in South Bank has written to parents to clear up discussions taking place on social media about a range of subjects retlating to pupils at the school, including the siting of CCTV cameras in school and truancy.

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In her letter, head, Gemma Greenhalgh, said: "CCTV has been operational across the school site and within toilet facilities for a number of years. Upgraded CCTV has now been installed, including in and around the toilet facilities, specifically in the central handwashing areas between the rows of cubicles, where we have had CCTV for over ten years.

"There are no cameras inside the cubicles, and, to secure full privacy, all cubicles have full height doors that fit completely flush from floor to ceiling and no sound is picked up on the CCTV recordings.

"The CCTV cameras not only enable us to ensure the safety of our students, but also help to deter vandalism or, when it does unfortunately occur, identify anyone responsible. This reduces the cost, inconvenience and negative impact of deliberate damage to facilities that should be available in good condition for all students to use.

"CCTV footage helps to make the toilets safer and more welcoming spaces for the vast majority of students who wish to use them as they are intended."

York Press: Gemma GreenhalghGemma Greenhalgh (Image: Newsquest)

She also set out the rules surrounding attendance saying: "We know that attendance levels nationally are not as high as they were before the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The situation is more acute in the city of York and we all need to work together to improve this. We are keen to help pupils who are struggling to attend school for various reasons.

"Overall attendance at Millthorpe is not where it should be but by working together with pupils and parents, including providing individual, timely information on attendance levels, we are already starting to see improvements and I’d like to thank you for your help with this.

"We do, of course, fully appreciate that for some students, attendance can be challenging and we will continue to work with families to support them. We would be keen to hear any ideas you have to improve attendance levels, whether this is individual for your child or more widely. Please do get in touch if you have any suggestions."