The London Borough of Bexley has invested in 10 AV1 telepresence robots designed to bridge the gap between home and the classroom for vulnerable pupils. These units allow children unable to attend school due to chronic illness, medical recovery, or severe anxiety to maintain a physical presence in their lessons.
📌 Key Highlights
* Quantity: 10 AV1 telepresence units procured for borough-wide use.
* Target Group: Students with long-term illness, medical needs, or school-avoidance anxiety.
* Functionality: Remote app control with two-way audio and live video streaming.
* Funding Source: Commissioned via the Safety Valve programme and SEND reforms.
* Objective: Preventing social isolation and facilitating a phased return to school.
App-controlled interaction for home-bound pupils
Students operate the AV1 robots via a tablet or smartphone from their home or hospital bed. The robot sits on the student’s desk in the classroom, acting as their eyes, ears, and voice. Through the encrypted stream, the child can see the whiteboard, hear the teacher, and rotate the robot’s head 360 degrees to look at their peers.
To ensure the child feels part of the group, the robot features a light-up head to signal when a student wants to ask a question or participate in a discussion. This AV1 Telepresence Robots for Remote Learning initiative specifically addresses the emotional toll of long-term absence by maintaining social bonds during recovery.
Integrating technology with Local Area SEND Reforms
The deployment aligns with the Schools White Paper and the ongoing Local Area SEND Reforms in Bexley. By utilizing these robots, the borough aims to improve attainment levels and prevent the escalation of needs that often occurs when a child is disconnected from the education system for extended periods.
This technology does not replace traditional support but functions alongside existing Inclusion and Educational Psychology services. The data suggests that keeping a child ‘present’ in the classroom environment, even virtually, significantly eases the eventual transition back to physical attendance.
Bexley’s inclusion teams are currently identifying the first cohort of students to receive the units, prioritizing those whose medical or mental health conditions pose the highest risk of long-term educational detachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are AV1 robots and why is Bexley using them in classrooms?
AV1 robots are specialized telepresence devices that act as a student’s physical ‘avatar’ when they cannot attend school due to long-term illness, medical recovery, or severe anxiety. Bexley has deployed these units to solve the problem of educational isolation, allowing vulnerable pupils to see, hear, and participate in lessons in real-time via a secure app, ensuring they don’t fall behind their peers while at home or in the hospital.
How can a parent or school in Bexley access one of these telepresence robots?
The allocation of the 10 units is managed through the Bexley Local Area SEND reforms and the Inclusion service. To request support, parents should first consult with their child’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) or school leadership. The school can then apply to the borough’s central team, which prioritizes units based on medical evidence and the length of the expected absence under the Safety Valve programme criteria.
What impact does this technology have on a student’s privacy and mental health?
The AV1 is designed specifically to reduce ‘return-to-school’ anxiety. It uses a one-way encrypted video stream, meaning the student can see the classroom, but the class cannot see the student—removing the pressure of being on camera while unwell. By maintaining a physical presence on a desk, the robot preserves social bonds and prevents the ‘attainment gap’ that occurs when students feel forgotten by their peer group.
Where can I find official updates on Bexley’s SEND technology funding?
Detailed information regarding the rollout is part of the Bexley Schools White Paper and the ongoing Safety Valve programme updates. For the latest local policy changes or to see how these reforms impact your specific school catchment, visit the Bexley Local Offer website or the education section of the London Borough of Bexley’s official portal.
Source: London Borough of Bexley
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