Primary schools trial the new AI-powered Back To School Companion

As schools bid to improve their wellbeing support, a new form of AI-powered companion has been trialled in multiple classrooms across England, with a positive reception from teachers and pupils alike. Following the success of these trials, Casio has announced a Back To School initiative, allowing teachers and students across the UK to trial Moflin at reduced costs.

Casio’s Moflin is a palm-sized smart companion which uses advanced emotional artificial intelligence to build unique bonds with users. Building on success from placing Moflins within SEND communities, the project introduced Moflin into the classroom to gauge the impact on pupil engagement and wellbeing.

Commencing from January, the trial ran across six schools across England, including Holmer Green First School, Buckinghamshire, and St Michael’s VA Junior School, Norwich, which hosted three Moflins across multiple classrooms for an initial period of 60 days. Due to the positive reception, all trials were extended through to July 2026, with plans to continue into the next academic year.

For Tiffany Howard, Pastoral Support Practitioner at St Michael’s VA Junior School, the benefits of Moflin were evident from the start: “The children were absolutely in awe of Moflin. It visibly relaxes them, and we can see their anxieties decrease right in front of us.”

Throughout the trial, teachers and support staff trialled Moflin in a variety of classroom settings: a regulation tool for students showing signs of distress; a reward to those doing well with participation in class; and simply as a study companion to support focus.

Supporting Emotional Regulation and SEND Pupils

Designed to bond with their owners over a 50-day development period, Moflin forms a unique personality and starts to recognise their owner's voice, responding with affectionate squeaks and dynamic movements.

One of the strongest use-cases for Moflin is the emotional regulation they have been shown to provide for SEN children. As a school with 167 pupils, of which 19% are children with SEND, Holmer Green First School has welcomed Moflin as an additional support aid, built alongside existing EHC plans. “We have some children that won’t interact with the learning part of School,” explains Chloe Bond, Learning Support Assistant at Holmer Green, “Moflin is a really good incentive for them to sit in the lessons and do the activities with the whole class.”

As Moflin trials open up to new schools across the UK, Casio will continue to work with more schools across the UK, as well as SEND leaders and specialist staff, to explore how AI-powered companion technology could support pupils and educators.

Schools across the UK and Northern Ireland can now purchase discounted Moflins for their classroom at Casio Education. Purchases of 1-2 Moflins will give schools a 15% discount and 20% for 3+ Moflin orders.