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CCTV in Schools: A Guide to School Security Cameras

School playground, one of the outdoor areas that CCTV in schools commonly covers

CCTV guide

CCTV in schools

Security cameras that protect students, staff and school property, within each state’s rules.

CCTV in schools is the camera system a school uses to deter vandalism and break-ins, secure entries, car parks and grounds, and help investigate incidents. Each education department sets its own rules: Victoria and Queensland have detailed CCTV policies for government schools, NSW applies workplace surveillance law through departmental guidance, and ACT public schools do not permit CCTV at all. Non-government schools rely on privacy and surveillance laws.

By Mark Bezzina, Managing Director and CEO of Agilient, who has more than 20 years’ experience running security and resilience companies and has led over 300 projects. Last updated 29/09/2026.

  • Victorian government schools need approval from the department’s Security Unit, must publish a CCTV privacy notice, and keep footage for at least 31 days.
  • Queensland state schools must lodge a notice of intention with the Emergency and School Security Unit, and cameras are prohibited in toilets, change rooms, classrooms, staff rooms and offices.
  • NSW schools must give staff 14 days’ written notice before surveillance starts, and covert surveillance needs a magistrate’s authority.
  • Cameras must never go in toilets, change rooms or showers, in any jurisdiction.
The rules

What rules apply to CCTV in schools?

  • Victoria: the department’s CCTV in Schools policy allows live footage for situational awareness in incidents and emergencies, and recorded footage to prevent, verify and investigate criminal behaviour, staff misconduct and other inappropriate behaviour. Schools submit an expression of interest to the Security Unit, consult school council, display signs at entry and exit points, and publish a CCTV privacy notice. Footage is kept for at least 31 days, and copies are not given to students, parents or staff; those requests go through Freedom of Information.1
  • Queensland: the CCTV use in schools procedure requires a lawful purpose, consultation with neighbours, police and the P&C, a notice of intention to the Emergency and School Security Unit, signs at every entry to the grounds, a disclosure register, and annual compliance audits.2 The department’s technical standard sets at least 31 days of recording.3
  • NSW: departmental guidance applies the Workplace Surveillance Act: written notice to staff at least 14 days before surveillance starts, signs at the entrances to areas with cameras, no cameras in change rooms, toilets or showers, and no covert surveillance without a magistrate’s authority. Any audio recording must be stated in notices and limited to public areas such as corridors.4
  • ACT: the Education Directorate’s school legal manual states that CCTV is not permitted in ACT public schools or on school grounds.5
  • Non-government schools: schools covered by the Privacy Act must tell people they may be recorded and keep footage secure, and state surveillance laws also apply.6
Good practice

What does good school CCTV look like?

School CCTV works best as one layer of a wider security design, alongside fencing, lighting, access control and alarms. A well governed system has:

  • a documented problem, such as after-hours vandalism or unauthorised entry, and a clear purpose for each camera;
  • consultation with the school community before installation, as the Victorian and Queensland rules require;
  • coverage of entries, the perimeter, car parks, bus bays, bike racks and building exteriors, with no cameras in toilets, change rooms or showers;
  • signs at entries and a published privacy notice;
  • secure storage, a set retention period, a register of who viewed or released footage, and a process for police requests;
  • lighting designed to support the cameras; and
  • integration with intruder alarms so that after-hours alarms can be verified remotely.
How we help

How Agilient supports school CCTV

Agilient provides independent CCTV consulting for school systems and individual schools: camera strategy and coverage reviews, policy and privacy reviews against state requirements, and specifications for new schools or upgrades. Agilient does not sell or install cameras. Its school security framework guide covers wider obligations, the CPTED guide explains design-led security, and the CCTV upgrade guide explains how to modernise an existing system.

Other CCTV sector guides: childcare centres, universities, aged care, hospitals, councils, stadiums and venues, racing and critical infrastructure.

Planning CCTV for your school?

A short briefing will help you test your camera coverage and CCTV policy against your state’s requirements.

Talk to AgilientIndependent CCTV advice
FAQs

CCTV in schools FAQs

Are schools allowed to have CCTV?
In most jurisdictions, yes, under the education department’s policy and privacy and surveillance laws. Victorian and Queensland government schools need departmental approval or notice before installing cameras. ACT public schools are an exception: the Education Directorate states that CCTV is not permitted in schools or on school grounds.
Can schools put cameras in classrooms or toilets?
Never in toilets, change rooms or showers. Queensland also prohibits cameras in classrooms, staff rooms and offices, and Victoria prohibits them in any area where individual privacy is paramount.
How long do schools keep CCTV footage?
Victorian government schools must keep footage for at least 31 days, and Queensland’s technical standard requires at least 31 days of recording. Footage that has been requested or used in an investigation is kept longer under records rules.
Can parents get a copy of school CCTV footage?
Usually not directly. In Victoria, copies are not given to students, parents or staff, and requests go through Freedom of Information. In Queensland, Right to Information requests go to Legal Services. Footage can be released to police under each department’s process.
References

  1. Victorian Department of Education, CCTV in Schools: installation and management policy, education.vic.gov.au
  2. Queensland Department of Education, CCTV use in schools procedure, qed.qld.gov.au
  3. Queensland Department of Education, School CCTV requirements, qed.qld.gov.au
  4. NSW Department of Education, Legal Issues Bulletin 41: CCTV, education.nsw.gov.au
  5. ACT Education Directorate, School Legal Information Manual: Privacy, education.act.gov.au
  6. Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Security cameras, oaic.gov.au