CCTV POLICY 

CCTV POLICY 2026-2028 

Help for non-English speakers If you need help to understand this policy, please contact Glenroy College on 9304 0400 

Purpose: 

This Policy explains the management, operation and use of the closed circuit television (CCTV) system at Glenroy College. 

Scope: 

This policy applies to the installation of CCTV cameras on school grounds and the use and disclosure of any footage produced by those cameras. 

This policy is consistent with: 

• Victorian government Schools’ Privacy Policy (applies to all Victorian government schools) 

• the Department’s Security Risk Management policy 

• Victorian privacy law 

Policy: 

Schools have an obligation to ensure the school environment is safe and secure, and fulfil duty of care to students, staff and visitors.  The CCTV system exists to assist our school to fulfil these obligations and to prevent and manage other inappropriate behaviour on school grounds.  

 CCTV provides enhanced capability to protect our school’s assets against vandalism and theft. CCTV strengthens our school’s security by providing an appropriate level of surveillance on school grounds and assists our school to take all reasonable steps to prevent reasonably foreseeable harm on school premises (duty of care). The presence of CCTV cameras deters misconduct and inappropriate behaviour and reassures students, staff and visitors that they are protected when on school grounds. 

This policy describes how our CCTV system does this, consistent with Victorian privacy law.  

Use of CCTV  

Consistent with our school’s obligations set out above, Glenroy College may use CCTV cameras to:  

• prevent and verify incidents involving 

• criminal behaviour – of anyone on school grounds 

• staff misconduct  

• other inappropriate behaviour – including of students, staff, visitors or members of the public. For example, this means the school may use CCTV footage of incidents to help inform decisions about student management 

• verify other incidents – involving students, staff and visitors (e.g. incidents in which a person has sustained injury, loss or damage on school premises)  

• to provide the principal with visual coverage during emergencies 

CCTV cameras are NOT: 

• hidden or covert 

• located in private areas such as toilets, changing rooms or staff rooms 

• used to monitor student or staff work performance  

Location of CCTV cameras in our school  

In our school, CCTV cameras are located in: 

• school entrances 

• corridors 

• locker areas 

• computer labs 

• woodwork area 

• yard 

Signs are located near each CCTV camera which alert people to the presence of the camera and this CCTV Policy.  

Access to CCTV footage  

CCTV footage is only accessed for the purposes set out in this policy (see ‘Use of CCTV footage’) and only by the following people: 

1. the principal or nominee, including people explicitly authorised by the principal 

2. central and regional Department staff, when required to assist the school for an above purpose 

3. any other people permitted by law. 

Showing footage to staff, students and/or their parents involved in incidents 

When using CCTV for the purposes listed in this policy under the heading ‘Use of CCTV’ and only when appropriate, the principal may show specific footage of an incident to those directly involved, including relevant staff, students and/or their parents.  

This means that any person on school premises may be captured on CCTV footage of an incident that the principal may subsequently show to staff, students and/or their parents.  

The school cannot give copies of CCTV footage to staff, students, parents or any other parties. Any requests for a copy of CCTV footage must be made to the Department’s Freedom of Information Unit, as set out below. 

Managing and securing the CCTV system 

The principal or their nominee is responsible for managing and securing the CCTV system including: 

1. operation of the CCTV system and ensuring it complies with this policy 

2. considering the appropriate location and use of cameras and method for storing CCTV footage  

3. maintaining and upgrading cameras when required. 

Ownership of CCTV footage  

The Department of Education and Training (the Department) owns our school’s CCTV systems and CCTV footage.  

Disclosure of CCTV footage  

Our school may only disclose CCTV footage externally (i.e. external to the Department) as described in this policy or otherwise when permitted by law. 

Storage of Footage 

CCTV footage is kept for approximately 14 days, depending on storage. If our school has not used CCTV footage in any of the ways set out above, and there has been no request to view or access footage during this period, the footage automatically is deleted.  

Where CCTV footage has been used to verify an incident or where it is required to be retained for legal reasons, our school will manage and securely retain the footage in accordance with records management requirements as issued by the Public Records Office of Victoria. 

Access to information held about you  

To access information our school holds about you (on behalf of the Department), including any CCTV footage, please contact:  

Freedom of Information Unit 

Department of Education and Training 

GPO Box 4367  

MELBOURNE VIC 3001 

Email: foi@edumail.vic.gov.au  

Further information and resources: 

• School Policy and Advisory Guide: Security Risk Management 

• School Policy and Advisory Guide:Photographing and Filming Students 

• Schools’ Privacy Policy 

Communication: 

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways: 

• Included in our staff policy handbook 
• Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request 
• Uploaded to our school website 

Policy Review and Approval: