Former “Educating Greater Manchester” Head Teacher Barred from Teaching

A head teacher who appeared in a fly-on-the-wall television series filmed at his school has been prohibited from teaching. Drew Povey, 47, was the leader of Harrop Fold School in Salford, which served as the setting for the 2017 Channel 4 documentary “Educating Greater Manchester.” However, an investigation by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) concluded that he had engaged in “off-rolling” pupils by removing them from the school’s register without formally excluding them. While Mr. Povey denied these allegations, the TRA stated that his conduct had “fallen significantly short” of professional standards. The panel was informed that the practice of off-rolling primarily serves the interests of the school, rather than those of the students. Furthermore, it was reported that on certain occasions, students were documented as being present at school when they were absent, potentially exposing them to harm. The panel recommended that Mr. Povey be banned from teaching for a period of two years. Salford Council placed the school under special measures in 2018, and Mr. Povey tendered his resignation in September of that same year, following his suspension due to allegations concerning attendance and exclusions. Ross Povey, Mr. Povey’s 49-year-old brother, faced identical allegations and also received a two-year ban.