Kingsley Academy, Hounslow

Attendance: a strategic priority

Despite academic progress, persistent absence remains a key challenge at Kingsley Academy, with a 2022–23 absence rate of 25.8%, slightly above national averages. The school recognised that sustained attendance issues—particularly among students with medical, emotional, or SEN needs —undermine otherwise strong academic potential.

To address this, Kingsley has put in place a dedicated team including an Attendance & Punctuality Manager and an Associate Assistant Principal focused solely on attendance. Their strategy includes:

• Early intervention when attendance dips below 97%.
• Structured escalation for continued absence.
• Strong engagement with parents and pupils to reinforce the importance of daily attendance.

However, the school also recognised that traditional interventions would not be enough for students facing more complex barriers to attendance.

Introducing AV1: Technology for Reconnection

In 2024, Kingsley Academy trialled AV1 telepresence robots—secure, one-way streaming robots designed to help students who cannot physically attend school stay connected to their peers and lessons in real time.

Initially introduced to support a small group of Year 11 students at risk of missing their GCSEs, the success of the pilot led to rapid expansion. Today, Kingsley Academy has an expanding fleet of five AV1s, integrated across several year groups, including students on reduced timetables, those with anxiety or ADHD, and pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The deployment of AV1 has become an essential part of the school’s inclusion and attendance strategy—helping students bridge the gap between absence and reintegration, while preserving continuity in both learning and social connection.

The AV1 Journey

In 2024, Kingsley Academy first introduced a single AV1 robot to support a Year 11 student. This student, who had experienced prolonged periods away from school, used AV1 to gradually reintegrate into core lessons and, ultimately, sit their exams successfully. The initial success led the school to investigate broader applications—and over the last year, they have grown their fleet from one to five AV1 devices.

Throughout this period, Kingsley Academy has refined the use of AV1 in several contexts, including:

• Exam Support: The year 11 pilot demonstrated that, with a phased reintroduction to classroom activities using AV1, students could successfully bridge the gap between isolation and full attendance.
• Reduced Timetables: The school is now exploring how AV1 can support students on internal reduced timetables. For instance, students with ADHD or similar challenges use the robot to attend key lessons without being overwhelmed by the traditional classroom setting, gradually phasing students back into the classroom.
• SEN Integration: Plans are in place to extend AV1 support to Year 9 students with EHCPs.

Early feedback from a disengaged Year 9 pupil suggests that interacting with AV1 could act as a gateway back into regular education.

Impact on Students

The positive experiences witnessed at Kingsley include:

• Academic Reintegration: Two Year 11 students were able to sit their exams after a gradual return to lessons via AV1 support.
• Enhanced Engagement: Students on reduced timetables, including those with ADHD, have remained connected to the curriculum and continued their learning with fewer disruptions.
• Special Educational Needs: There is promising potential for AV1 to support SEN students who have historically been marginalised through traditional alternative provisions.

Kingsley Academy Example Use Case

Source: No Isolation Data Analytics Kingsley Academy May 2024 - May 2025

From Remote Access to Reintegration

Sarah McCarron, SENCO and AV1 lead at Kingsley, explained that AV1 plays several vital roles:

“AV1 ensures that students can remain part of the classroom environment even when they are not physically present”.

“AV1 allows students to work in quieter, regulated spaces, thereby reducing anxiety andover stimulation.”

“By facilitating a gradual return, AV1 supports a smoother transition for students who have been excluded or on reduced timetables.”

‍Sarah summarised the impact:

“AV1 is a game-changer for our students. It enables those who would otherwise be left behind to experience the full classroom dynamic, maintain their learning progress, and eventually reintegrate into daily school life.”

‍Beyond Inclusion: Workforce Innovation and Cross-School Collaboration

Kingsley Academy has also explored AV1 as a means of extending specialist teaching across the trust:

• Cross-School Use: Potential to connect teaching across different schools, AV1 has paved the way for a collaborative future.
• Teacher Recruitment: With ongoing challenges in recruiting specialist staff, particularly in SEND and STEM subjects, AV1 offers the potential to enable experienced teachers to reach students across multiple locations. This initiative could be a critical part of addressing workforce shortages while maintaining teaching quality.

‍Funding and Cost Efficiency

The deployment of AV1 is currently funded through EHCP arrangements. However, Kingsley Academy is undertaking a cost-comparison exercise to evaluate the financial benefits relative to traditional alternative provisions (AP). Early findings suggest that, aside from enhancing student outcomes, the model could offer considerable cost savings by reducing the need for expensive off-site AP placements.

Scaling and Sustainability

With its fleet now grown to five units, Kingsley Academy is in the process of:

• Data Collection: Gathering detailed data on attendance, engagement, and learning outcomes. This analysis will support a robust case for wider adoption.
• Sharing Best Practice: Collaborations with peers—such as setting up discussions betweenKingsley’s team, No Isolation, and Trust Inclusion leads—are part of the strategy to build a sustainable, scalable model.

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