Secondary school pupils are set to be taught maths by a teacher who is based more than 300 miles away.
The Valley Leadership Academy in Bacup, Lancashire, has a total of around 600 pupils and is to begin rolling out remote lessons from September for students in top sets in years 9-11.
It is understood that a letter was sent out advising parents of the "exciting initiative" which will see a "virtual" teacher based in Devon supported in the classroom by another qualified teacher who is also experienced in maths.
Executive Principal Colette Roberts said in the letter that the initiative aims "to combine the benefits of edtech and virtual learning with quality support in the classroom".
She also explained pupils would use "a special laptop and headset to take part in the lessons".
However, the National Education Union (NEU) has expressed its concern at the idea, and has said it plans to oppose it.
NEU Lancashire branch secretary Ian Watkinson has expressed his clear dislike for the proposal, which he called "dystopian".
He told the BBC: "You just can’t dynamically respond as a teacher if you’re on a screen in Devon.
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|The Valley Leadership Academy in Bacup is to begin rolling out remote lessons from September for students in tops sets in years 9-11
"How on earth can you properly engage and bounce off and give feedback to the kids? You might as well just record a video."
He added it is not fair to the students who will receive reduced support, and described the approach as "dumbing down" and "cutting corners".
He continued, it does not make economic sense as there will be a qualified teacher present anyway, and called it "a direct attack on educators which has nothing to do with enhancing children’s learning experiences".
The Union has said an indicative ballot of members who attended a meeting on Monday showed unanimous support for strike action over the matter, according to the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service.
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The school, which is part of the Star Academies trust, has said the initiative is a "targeted, very small-scale approach used in exceptional cases to ensure students receive teaching from a talented and experienced teacher, particularly where recruitment has proven difficult".
A spokesperson from the Valley Leadership Academy said: "We are working closely with professional associations to provide clarity and reassurance around the deployment of a virtual teacher to teach maths to three classes at The Valley."
She added the scheme would "broaden access to high-quality teaching for students in the schools that need it most, while offering a valued flexibility to a teacher who might otherwise leave the profession".
It is understood the virtual teacher will also dial in remotely in order to join parents’ evenings and will be available to call parents throughout the year should the need arise.
Last summer, the UK’s first "teacherless" GCSE class was announced by a private school in London.
From September 2024, David Game College began piloting a programme of study for 20 GCSE students during which all core subjects are taught entirely by AI-driven adaptive learning platforms.
Each student’s learning plan is bespoke to them as the platform learns what the student excels and, and where they need more help.
The cost for the pioneering class will see students pay £27,000 a year.
There are also three "learning coaches" present to monitor behaviour and give support within the class.
Subjects which AI currently struggles with, like art and sex education, will also be taught by these "learning coaches".