School of ROBOTS

Stephen Topping visits classrooms where pupils see through the eyes of AVI machines

- Stephen Topping

IT might sound like science fiction, but robots are sitting in lessons across Greater Manchester.

Perched on top of school desks, they have 'facial expressions' that change and light up when they want to talk.

They can 'mingle' with the other students during breaks and give answers to questions asked by teachers during lessons.

But this isn't a surreal glimpse into the future. The robots are controlled by students who are at home, and they are performing a vital function.

Kingsland School, a specialist learning centre for secondary school-aged children with complex needs, is the first school in Oldham to make use of the AV1 robot.

The school's Laurel Bank site, in Shaw, took delivery of three AV1 robots last summer ahead of the current school year. A small number of other Greater Manchester schools are also using the technology.

At Kingsland, the robots are used by children with complex medical needs, who are unable to attend lessons in person.

They serve as the students' eyes, ears and voice in the classroom and are helping pupils to boost their confidence and reconnect with their peers.

Emmett Patel, headteacher at Kingsland School, told the Manchester Evening News: "They can show emotion, they can show they want to be involved. They can speak, they can move, they can interact at social times. They are really, really innovative. They are helpful to integrate children that are having real difficulty integrating into school settings.