Former Mansfield student launches campaign to support pupils ‘off-rolled’ from school

Andrew McDonald, who said he was ‘off-rolled’ from a Mansfield academy at the start of his final year in 2019, has launched a campaign aiming to eradicate the process.

The teenager said his campaign aims to provide support to families affected across the country and put pressure on schools to provide more support for students, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities facing difficulties during their final years at secondary school.

Off-rolling is a term used to describe the process of removing a pupil from a school without permanent exclusion.

It is reportedly used as a way to improve exam and league results, particularly in academies, with students not expected to perform well then out of school on the day of exams

Andrew said: “Off-rolling is a widespread problem and also happens more frequently in deprived areas and affects disadvantaged communities.

“I attended a school in Mansfield and was off rolled at the start of Year 11.

“I was without educational support for five months, until I was able to enrol elsewhere.

“I have since finished my exams and gone on to university.

The campaign – led by Andrew and volunteers James Matthewson, Harry Longbridge, Jacob Sammon, Sarina Kiayani, and Adam Wildsmith – aims to push for measures and policies to eradicate off-rolling in the nation, working closely with councils and Westminster.

Andrew said: “We feel support from our campaign may be needed by many families affected in the Mansfield and Ashfield area.”

“Since starting this project, the campaign has been in contact with a family from Shirebrook with a child who was recently off-rolled.”

The family, who declined to be named, said: “Our experience with a local school was one that tore our family apart.

“When our son was in Year 10, he was forced out from the academy he had attended since Year 7, with the reason ‘it was best for everyone if he were to enter a pupil referral unit’.

“Although he had not committed any behavioural violations, he has severe dyslexia and autism and struggles considerably academically.

“Our life was made hell by this academy when we even questioned what they were forcing on our son. We were even made to question our ability as parents.

“The issue of off-rolling is one that can affect anyone, but particularly those with special educational needs, or behavioural Issues.

“We are lucky to have seen the Campaign Against Off Rolling's Facebook page through a mutual friend and the support they have offered is unrivalled, they really do care."

The National Education Union said the school system in England is ‘fragmented and dramatically underfunded’.

David Pike, NEU senior regional officer, said: “Schools are being left to ‘go it alone’ without adequate oversight or support.

“Ofsted, quite rightly, abhors off-rolling, but refuses to admit its own role in creating an inspection system which has focused, above all, on data which has created the pressure on schools to off roll.”

A spokeswoman from education watchdog Ofsted, said: “Our research and inspection experience show us that the same mechanism for removing a child from a school roll can be used in both acceptable and unacceptable ways.

“For example, appropriate and inappropriate managed moves, use of alternative provision, and so on.

“However, we are clear that, under our definition, off-rolling is unacceptable.

“And, if inspectors determine a school to be doing it, then they are likely to judge its leadership and management to be inadequate.

“It is not for inspectors to decide when a move off the roll is or isn’t in a pupil’s best interests, so they will ask school leaders to explain any moves.

“If their explanations are not convincing and the evidence supports it, inspectors are likely to conclude off-rolling has taken place.

“They will then address this in the inspection report and its key judgements.”

The off-rolling campaign was officially launched at the Thinking Education Conference in Lewisham.

Andrew said: “The launch was incredibly well received, with several team members speaking to various industry experts about the campaign.

“There were some fantastic partnerships established, and various reports of off-rolling made.

“The result of the conference fills us with a great deal of confidence for the future of this campaign.”

Parents and carersrequiring support from the campaign can contact [email protected]