Teachers call for webcams in class

Cameras linked to the internet should be installed in every classroom so parents can see whether their children are misbehaving in school.

Teachers who unveiled the plan today said they believed it could be the key to improving discipline, and involving parents in their children's education.

But critics say images downloaded from the cameras could be accessed by paedophiles.

The "webcam" call came today at the annual conference of the Professional Association of Teachers in Harrogate fromEssex teacher Simon Smith.

Webcams have already been introduced in a small number of nurseries. Mr Smith, a teacher at Sweyne Park comprehensive in Rayleigh said the experiment should be extended throughout the school system.

He said: "Bad behaviour in class is a big issue throughout the school system, but teachers have to handle it on their own. If pupils knew their parents could see how they were behaving then they would think twice about disrupting classes."

Mr Smith acknowledged there would be concerns about security over access to images of young children. But he said: "That could very easily be resolved by ensuring parents had to have a password."

Barry Hugill, spokesman for the civil liberties charity Liberty, said he feared paedophiles would be able to hack into the system.