It could make the time-honoured tradition of taking the school register a thing of the past.

Cutting-edge cameras are being used to scan children’s faces as they enter school.

The face-recognition technology makes sure they have turned up, records whether they were on time or late and keeps an accurate roll call.

It can also deliver messages to pupils as they sign in. Ten schools have started using the system, which is likely to be introduced elsewhere if considered a success.

But privacy campaigners reacted angrily yesterday, warning that the technology was another ‘encroachment on civil liberties’. Britons are already subjected to the greatest level of electronic surveillance in the world, with our movements said to be recorded in some way about 3,000 times a week...
(more)