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The cameras are used in at least two comprehensive schools in England, one of which has a history of pupils with behavioural problems, and have been approved by local education authorities, The Times understands.
Teachers turn on the cameras during incidents in the classroom to tackle "constant low-level disruption", the cameras' manufacturer said. They give verbal notice before starting to record, according to Tom Ellis, a lecturer at Portsmouth University.
The cameras film continuously, but encrypted footage is only saved once the teacher hits the record button, at which point pupils can see the live footage on an outward-facing screen.
The Information Commissioner's Office, which regulates privacy issues, said that schools were free to use cameras as long as they complied with the Data Protection Act, which states that surveillance must be "legitimate, proportionate and necessary". Lawyers specialising in data protection said that because of the age of the children teachers would need to demonstrate a greater need than police officers should the use of the cameras be challenged.
Mr Ellis said that they could be used to provide evidence for disciplinary action but also as a "self-reflection" tool for students. Footage could also be shared with parents to involve them in addressing their children's behaviour.
Feedback from parents and schools was said to be positive, with teachers praising them as an effective deterrent.
Body cameras have proliferated in British policing over the past decade and are available to most frontline officers as well as many A&E staff.
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