BODY cameras worn by teachers would not improve behaviour in Oxford's schools and could destroy trust between teachers and pupils, it has been claimed.

Earlier this week Tom Ellis, a criminal justice researcher from Portsmouth University, revealed two schools in England were taking part in a trial scheme with the cameras.

But headteachers at two of the city's biggest schools and Prof John Howson, who was stabbed by a pupil early in his teaching career, said such cameras would be problematic.

Oxford Spires Academy headteacher Sue Croft said she could not think of a single incident in her teaching career of more than 30 years where body cameras would have improved the situation.

She said: "Not only do I think they are not necessary but I think they are encouraging the wrong message.

"Schools are communities and once you start treating pupils as the enemy you have lost.

"How can you teach respect and create relationships that are going to be productive?

"It is flawed as a mindset."

Mr Ellis said the idea behind the pilot scheme was that if there was an incident where a teacher or pupil was harmed there would be video evidence.

The Oxford Academy headteacher Niall McWilliams said: "I am a bit bemused by it.

"I do not see how it will actually impact on behaviour.

"In some ways it might discourage good behaviour by students acting up to the cameras.

"There is absolutely not chance of seeing them at my school."

A survey by the Times Education Supplement of 600 teachers revealed 38 per cent would wear them.

Those opposed raised concerns about the privacy of themselves and their pupils.

Prof Howson, who is now a county councillor and Oxford University education expert, was stabbed by a 15-year-old in 1977 when he was a 29-year-old teacher at Tottenham School in London.

He raised concerns about the impact body cameras could have on privacy.

He said: "What matters is what happens to the data that is collected and what it is used for.

"There might be occasions if you have a young teacher who is having trouble with 4C on a Friday afternoon and might like to know that somebody is watching.

"But you do not need a body camera for that.

"We should be working towards schools that are learning institutions.

"As society has become less authoritarian we have probably got, particularly with teenagers, more low-level disruption.

"But we have not got the same extent of really bad behaviour that we had when I started teaching."

Prof Howson added that there might be some scenarios where body cameras could be useful, for example in recording evidence later needed in court.