EXCLUSIVENow pupils get AI maths and English lessons in 'teacherless classrooms' - but it can't do art and sex education... yet
A school is introducing Britain's first 'teacherless' classroom where lessons will be conducted by artificial intelligence (AI).
Pupils at David Game College in London will abandon their textbooks and lectures in favour of laptops and headphones as they prepare for their GCSEs.
Instead of human teachers, they will learn core subjects, including English, maths and science, from an interactive computer system.
Real people, in the form of 'learning coaches', will be on hand to ensure discipline and lead classes the computer can't do yet, such as art and sex education.
Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, agreed there is a role for AI in the classroom but said replacing teachers with it is 'lazy'.
'You can never beat a great teacher because they can interact with pupils in a way a machine never can,' he said.
A school is introducing Britain's first 'teacherless' classroom where lessons will be conducted by artificial intelligence (stock photo)
John Dalton (pictured), headmaster of the private City school, described the project known as the Sabrewing Programme as a 'quantum leap' in education
'You can't replicate the camaraderie of a classroom if everyone is staring at a screen.
'It dehumanises education and is a vote of no confidence in the teaching profession. If we end up with machines in charge, it will be a very bleak future for the mental health and happiness of children.'
But John Dalton, headmaster of the private City school, described the project known as the Sabrewing Programme as a 'quantum leap' in education – and insisted it won't put teachers out of a job.
'The role of the teacher will evolve and change as technology improves,' he said.
'Many education institutions have used AI in the classroom in a supporting manner but we are taking a leap of faith by using it to teach the entire core curriculum.
'Our system will be like a personal tutor for each child and will quickly identify and address weaknesses in their knowledge.
'We genuinely believe that students will master things like maths, chemistry and physics much more effectively and efficiently than they would in a normal, one-size-fits-all classroom.' The programme will be rolled out initially to a test group of 20 hand-picked pupils, including some with special educational needs.
Every day, the children will come into their classroom, open their laptops, put their headphones on and the AI system will start to teach them.
They can ask questions and the computer will answer in natural, human-like language. The system will continually test the pupils, generating data on each child's knowledge. It will use this to tailor lessons and help them improve.
Dalton said: 'I've been teaching for 30 years and it's very difficult to know exactly why a certain student can't master a subject.
Pupils at David Game College (pictured) in London will abandon their textbooks and lectures in favour of laptops and headphones as they prepare for their GCSEs
'You can use your professional intuition but it will never be as good as the masses of data an AI system can produce. This model allows students to excel through a personalised and highly supported educational journey.'
The boarding and day school charges £27,000 a year. AI systems have been used in other schools including Eton College, attended by Princes William and Harry.
The Sabrewing Programme uses a so-called large language model which is capable of understanding and generating natural dialogue based on vast amounts of data.
Parent Feras Aldalate has signed up his daughter Massa for the AI class. He said: 'My wife was not so sure but Massa understood the benefits immediately. When it was explained to me, I jumped at it.'
Rudolf Eliott Lockhart, chief executive of the Independent Schools Association, said: 'Using AI to drive an adaptive learning approach has the potential to be a real game-changer.
'At David Game College they are looking to underpin this innovative approach with serious educational expertise. I am really excited to see this project develop and see what pupils can achieve.'
