To combat rising rates of school avoidance, UK educators are deploying AV1 robots to represent anxious students at their desks. These £3,500 devices, manufactured by the Norwegian company No Isolation, allow children to participate in lessons from home via a specialized app.
The tripling of SEMH needs and the EBSA epidemic
The United Kingdom is witnessing a dramatic surge in students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs. According to The Mail on Sunday, this demographic has more than tripled in six years, growing from 8,453 to 27,442. This rise in "emotionally based school avoidance" (EBSA) coincides with a broader attendance crisis; while attendance was once above 95%, it fell to 93% in the 2023-24 period. Last year alone, a record 151,000 pupils missed at least half of their scheduled schooling.
This trend comes as the Labour government introduces new attendance targets for every school in England, alongside incentives like "Friday clubs" to encourage end-of-week presence. However,the scale of the mental health challenge suggests that traditional truancy crackdowns may not address the underlying anxiety driving these absences.
Moulsham High School’s 20-robot classroom integration
At Moulsham High School in Chelmsford, Essex, the AV1 robot has become a tool for classroom reintegration. The school currently utilizes 20 of these units to help students participate via a specialized app. The technology includes a "whisper mode" for quiet communication and a 360-degree rotating head, allowing students to navigate the classroom virtually. One Year 11 pupil reported that the AV1 was essential in helping them reach their current academic level after months of anxiety-driven absence.
Deputy headteacher Mark Blenkin noted that the technology is now "part and parcel of school." By allowing a student to be "present" without the immediate sensory overwhelm of a physical classroom, the robots aim to bridge the gap between isolation and full reintegration.
Devon County Council and the 80-authority rollout
Local government authorities across England are increasingly adopting this Norwegian technology, which was originally designed by No Isolation to connect hospitalized children to their peers. As reported by the source , Devon County Council recently purchased 16 robots to support pupils struggling with overwhelm and anxiety.. Devon is just one of at least 80 authorities that have utilized the AV1 since the Department for Education commissioned the technology in 2019.
The rollout extends beyond the West Country to areas including Somerset, Dorset, and London boroughs such as Haringey and Islington. these local authorities are using the devices to meet their statutory duties to provide education to students who are unable to attend in person due to mental health barriers.
The unanswered question of the £3,500 per-unit cost
While No Isolation's Morten Jorgensen claims that 76% of students using the AV1 have returned to the classroom, the source does not clarify if this reintegration is permanent. There is also no data provided on whether the high cost of these robots is sustainable for all 80 authorities or if the one-way camera feature—which allows students to observe without being seen—might inadvertently facilitate long-term remote learning rather than a return to physical desks.
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