They are the last places you would expect to be filmed, but a report out today reveals several Kent schools have CCTV cameras in toilets and changing rooms.

Privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch found five secondary schools in the county that responded have cameras in the areas.

Brockhill Park Performing Arts College, in Hythe, has the most cameras in pupil toilets or changing areas in Kent with 10.

Sandwich Technology School and The Charles Dickens School, in Broadstairs, come joint second with six cameras.

Rochester's Thomas Aveling School has four, while Pent Valley Technical College in Folkestone has two.

A Surveillance Camera Commissioner - proposed by the Home Office - would have no jurisdiction over the way cameras are used in schools, despite their being greater control in other public areas.

Emma Carr, deputy director of Big Brother Watch, said the government should commission an independent review into the use of CCTV in schools.

She said: "A lot of schools have said that the cameras are pointing at wash basins and general communal areas rather than cubicles.

"if it's not tackling the problem head-on and bullying and anti-social behaviour is being moved into further no-go areas, then that needs to be looked into…” – emma carr, big brother watch

"They say that those areas toilets are seen as no-go areas for adults and teachers and that's where anti-social behaviour and bullying happens.

"If a parent was to complain about there being cameras in toilets, the Camera Commissioner would have absolutely no jurisdiction to go into that school, look at that complaint and award penalties if they're found to be used in an over-zealous way.

"What we want is a transparent debate about the use of these cameras."

Nationally, 825 cameras have been placed in school toilets and changing rooms in 207 schools.

The authors of the report question whether this is necessary, as they say there is no research suggesting they make a difference.

Ms Carr added: "There's been only one report on CCTV in schools and that was based in Paris, and it showed there is little effect on anti-social behaviour and minor crime within schools because of CCTV.

"If the children are happy about it and they feel like it's making a much safer environment, then there's absolutely no problem.

"But if it's not tackling the problem head-on and bullying and anti-social behaviour is being moved into further no-go areas, then that needs to be looked into."

Thomas Aveling headteacher Paul Jackson said: "A number of years ago there was an issue where pupils were using toilets for anti-social behaviour such as smoking, graffiti or turning on washbasin taps and leaving them to run.

"More than three years ago, we placed CCTV cameras in four of our toilets – two boys and two girls – where these incidents occurred the most.

"We took guidance from a professional, respected firm on how to do this while respecting the privacy of our pupils, and part of this obviously meant making sure only the entrance to the toilets and the washbasin areas are filmed. No areas where privacy is rightfully expected, such as in the cubicles, are filmed at all.

"Parents have been kept fully informed about this and there are signs letting pupils know the cameras are there.

"We take the safety of all our pupils very seriously, work closely with parents and always make sure that every child in our school is treated with dignity."

Veronica Gomez, head of Sandwich Technology School

Sandwich Technology School headteacher Veronica Gomez said: "None of the cameras are in school changing rooms. The six cameras that do exist monitor common areas within student toilet blocks, some of which are already open-plan, such as the wash-hand basins - they do not monitor urinals or toilet cubicles.

"These cameras form part of a network of cameras both within and outside our school premises that enhance the security of the school site, both day and night.

"We firmly believe that children are entitled to the same privacy and respect as adults and we would do nothing to invade this privacy. Shared areas are monitored as part of our efforts to ensure that all children feel safe.

Kent County Council is yet to responded to requests for comment.

The south east topped the Big Brother Watch table for the number of schools per region with cameras in toilets and changing areas, with 42.

But the region has not been listed in a table showing schools with a higher than average ratio of CCTV cameras to pupils.