Southend-on-Sea City Council have 50 AV1 robots available to schools
AV1 robots are available to all schools in Southend to support their long-term absentees
What is AV1? A small robot for absent students to join school remotely.
How does it work? The absent student can see and hear everything that goes on in their classroom by logging into the robot from a device at home. They can turn it to view every corner of the classroom, virtually 'raise their hand', speak to their teacher and classmates, and respond to the lesson using different eye expressions.
The council have recently increased their fleet size to 50 AV1s. This means students in Southend are some of the best supported in the country if they have to miss school.
Whether your students are absent due to long-term illness, mental health or disability, they are entitled to the same education as their classmates. Nothing can replace being there in person, but AV1 is the next best thing. It ensures they don't miss a class, break time or conversation with friends.
What schools in Southend say
– Primary schoolWe were incredibly lucky to have been offered the use of an AV1 on two occassions. The robots really are a great way of including the pupil who can't be in class, to still feel part of the learning experience. We had positive feedback from parents and we would have no hesitation using AV1s again should the need arise.
– Secondary schoolAV1 has enabled our anxious students to reintegrate into lessons from the safety of our iMatter centre. Students tell us using the AV1 helps them to feel as if they are still able to make progress with their academic work, causing less additional anxiety. AV1 gives them the capacity to work on the social and emotional aspects of school life that are causing them worry whilst being able to build resilience and not getting further behind in their studies.
– Westcliff High School for Girls, Southend-on-SeaWe have found the robots invaluable for students who are unable to attend school due to medical or mental ill health. The student's feel comfortable joining in lessons, knowing they can still participate and be able to communicate with their teacher and peers. The students have used the robots outside of lesson time to maintain social interaction with friends which in turn makes its easier for their eventual return to school.
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