Teachers want to see more support for parents to help them resist the practice of ‘off-rolling’. New research for Ofsted finds that a quarter of teachers have seen off-rolling – when a child is removed from the school roll for the school’s benefit, rather than in the child’s best interests – happen in their schools. Two-thirds of these teachers believe the practice is on the rise.

The study, based on survey responses from over 1000 teachers, paints a concerning picture of the extent of off-rolling in England’s schools. Teachers believe that parents with less understanding of the education system and their rights are most likely to be pressured into taking their child out of school.

Some spoke of “fear-mongering”, with school management giving parents a “worst case scenario” for their child’s future if they remained in the school. Teachers said that they want to see better support for parents, so they understand their rights and options.

The YouGov survey for Ofsted looks at teachers’ awareness of, and views about off-rolling.

It also finds that:

• there is mixed understanding among teachers of what off-rolling is, but many teachers are aware that it is happening and believe that it is on the increase
• teachers agree that it usually happens before GCSEs, either during years 10 to 11 before results are collected, or in year 9 before exam teaching begins
• vulnerable students with special educational needs (SEN) or other needs are more likely to be affected
• many teachers think there is an overlap between off-rolling and other, sometimes legitimate, practices

Teachers believe that academic achievement is central to schools’ decision-making when pupils are off-rolled. Half of those that responded to the survey said the main reason for schools to off-roll a pupil is to manipulate league tables. Some teachers felt that it was easier to justify off-rolling when there are behavioural concerns, and that behavioural issues are “dressed up” to support the pupils’ removal.

The vast majority of teachers taking part in the research opposed off-rolling, but some thought it was understandable when there are underlying issues at play. Teachers also thought that schools needed more support to address special educational needs and other behaviours that are linked to off-rolling.

Only a third of teachers that had experienced off-rolling believed that off-rolled pupils went on to other mainstream schools, while just a fifth of those with experience of off-rolling said that there was any follow-up to check what had happened to pupils.

Amanda Spielman, Ofsted’s Chief Inspector, said:

These are troubling findings. While not every school is off-rolling, teachers tell us that some are clearly pushing vulnerable pupils out through the back door with little thought to their next steps and best interests.

Ofsted takes a dim view of off-rolling. When inspectors uncover evidence of this happening we make it clear in our inspection reports. And under our new inspection regime, taking effect in September, schools found to be off-rolling are likely to be rated inadequate for their leadership and management.

The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 teachers from primary and secondary schools across England and interviewed teachers and senior leaders who had direct experience of off-rolling, either through teaching pupils who have been taken off the schools’ roll, or by being involved in decisions around off-rolling. Professionals were chosen from a range of roles and school types.

Off-rolling is the practice of removing a pupil from the school roll without a formal, permanent exclusion or by encouraging a parent to remove their child from the school roll, when the removal is primarily in the interests of the school rather than in the best interests of the pupil.

Exclusions can be temporary or permanent and are carried out formally within the Department for Education’s statutory guidance on school exclusion. They are a legitimate means of managing behavioural issues.

Thank you very much and good afternoon.

This is a very important event to help us explore how business, government and civil society can work together to solve the major challenges faced by our society.

The fact that we have several Government ministers here, along with William Vereker, the Prime Minister’s Business Envoy, I hope demonstrates the attention and the significance we are giving this subject all across Government.

As society changes, enabled by the rise of new technologies, the nature of business must change too.

Businesses are increasingly recognising that they have a contract with society and that to maintain and renew this contract, they must play a part in addressing the major social issues that we all face.

The idea of social responsibility as a bolt-on option for businesses is long gone.

We are seeing so many businesses that have a social purpose at their heart.

But there is scope to do more and get greater numbers of businesses on board.

And that’s what I wanted to talk about today. How we can channel this momentum and support the scores of businesses that want to live up to the changing expectations of our society.

Forming partnerships

First, I would like to talk about partnerships.

This event is all about partnerships. Because there are some challenges that can’t be solved by Government, by civil society, or by business alone.

If we are to succeed in creating a truly inclusive economy, we need to combine all of our strengths and create a new model for solving these problems.

Using the convening power of Government, the dynamism of business and the knowledge and expertise of our civil society.

And that is what we have aimed to inspire through the Inclusive Economy Partnership.

This aims to find new ways of working together on societal issues, and to give businesses the right support and the right conditions to make big interventions.

In its first year, it focused its work on three areas: transition to work for young people, mental health and financial inclusion.

The IEP ran a Partnership Accelerator, based on these themes, offering financial support for projects that aim to tackle these issues, and brokering partnerships between social innovators and big businesses and civil society organisations.

My colleague, the Secretary of State for Business will discuss the work of the Accelerator in more detail later today, but early indications have been extremely positive.

As Oliver said, around 100 partnerships have been confirmed as a result of the programme, with an estimated 50,000 people benefiting as a result. And there is considerable potential to scale these partnerships up even further.

Looking beyond the Accelerator, highlights of the Inclusive Economy Partnership have included the Launch of Fair4All Finance, which will use funds from dormant assets to support solutions to provide affordable credit to those who need it most.

And the creation of a new West Midlands taskforce to reduce youth unemployment, inspired by IEP’s transition-to-work pilot in the region.

This is crucially important work.

And it has been heartening to me to see so many of the Inclusive Economy Partnership’s projects emerging from our world-leading technology sector.

Digital businesses

Our technology and civil society sectors are, at their core, all about shaking up established conventions and solving problems.

You can see that in the rising number of tech for social good organisations, with the sector growing exponentially in recent years.

In the Civil Society Strategy, we committed as a Government to exploring what more could be achieved through partnerships between the technology and social sectors.

And there are many social issues where I see a role for tech firms.

Not just through meeting their responsibilities around protecting users from harm, like cyberbullying and extremist content.

But also through striving to make a positive impact on the world we live in.

One example is financial inclusion and the ‘Open Banking 4 Good’ scheme. Nationwide worked with the Inclusive Economy Partnership to launch a three million pound Challenge Prize for solutions that use open banking technology.

And then there’s the issue of loneliness, one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.

Up to a fifth of all UK adults feel lonely most or all of the time. And there is evidence showing loneliness can be as bad for our health as obesity or smoking.

In January I announced that we are investing a million pounds to drive social tech innovation in civil society, to help develop solutions to tackle loneliness and bring communities together.

This Tech for Good Challenge Prize will set inspiring targets to focus the efforts of industry, civil society and government.

Successful participants will be rewarded with a cash incentive and ongoing business support. And we are working hard to create the best possible environment for these businesses to succeed, through innovation friendly regulation, access to capital and ensuring stronger digital skills at every level.

A few months ago we announced the beneficiaries of our new Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

That 400,000 pound fund focuses on tackling digital exclusion amongst groups that are most excluded from the digital revolution and slowest to adopt basic digital skills.

This long-term investment is crucial if we are to develop strong foundations for this inclusive economy.

And create businesses that can make the most of the technological changes ahead, whilst maintaining a strong social purpose.

Businesses as employers

And I am pleased that we are seeing more and more employers rising to this challenge.

Society increasingly expects all businesses to make a positive impact, whether it is within their own business, throughout their supply chain or within the communities they operate in.

And one way of doing this is through providing opportunities to those who might not otherwise be able to get through the door.

You cannot have an inclusive economy without an inclusive workforce. A greater diversity of background, and thought, means more perspectives and, as a result, a better quality of decision making.

So it is good news that so many firms have been looking to see how they can employ under-represented groups and provide alternative entry level routes into their industries.

Earlier today, I spoke at a conference for the publishing industry, where I commended the Spectator magazine for their commitment to inclusivity.

They no longer ask for prospective interns to submit CVs, opening the doors to those whose educational background may have previously discouraged them from applying.

And we have had over 300 signatories to the Tech Talent Charter, which gives organisations tangible actions and principles to adopt to help them change their hiring practices.

And I know there are many more examples, including some in this room.

For example, the Inclusive Economy Partnership is backing a growing movement of businesses focused on the mental health of their employees, as well as looking for opportunities to tackle this issue among their customers and the wider community.

It supported the development of the Government’s voluntary reporting guidelines, launched in November last year.

And one of the many success stories from our Accelerator has been the “This Is Me” programme, aimed at creating inclusive workplaces through creating more open conversations about mental health.

They have formed a partnership with Landsec, the UK’s largest commercial property development and investment company.

Landsec is helping this programme to launch in two new cities and they have also introduced the programme through their supply chain.

This is a real example of the inclusive economy in action. It’s good for society as a whole while providing benefits for the companies that show leadership in this area.

And increasingly people want to work for firms that share their values and that are making a positive impact on the communities they live in.

So please think about what you can do, through the IEP and beyond. It is good for business, recruitment and retention, but it can make a lasting difference to future generations.

Conclusion

As a Government we want to showcase to the world that we can be a leader in delivering inclusive growth.

But if we are to succeed and build a truly national movement, we need to build partnerships. That is what today is all about.

We need your help and look forward to working with you.

Thank you for coming today and I hope that you have an inspiring and enjoyable day.

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On Thursday 9 May, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary met with Libyan Government of National Accord Prime Minister Fayez Al-Serraj at 10 Downing Street.

They discussed the UK’s commitment to building international support for a ceasefire and the need for all sides to make compromises in the pursuit of peace.

Speaking after the meeting, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

The UK government shares Prime Minister Serraj’s grave concern at the situation across Libya, where the security and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

Recent violence has caused the displacement of thousands of people and blocked emergency aid to casualties, including civilians. It is imperative that all parties respect International Humanitarian Law.

In our discussions today, we called on Prime Minister Serraj to encourage all sides to commit to a ceasefire, secure humanitarian access for those desperately in need and return to UN-led political negotiations.

We’ve been clear that there can be no military solution in Libya – diplomacy is the only way to bring this bloodshed and uncertainty to a close.

The judicial authorities of Montenegro have today (9 May) announced that 2 Russian intelligence officers have been found guilty of plotting an attempted coup in Montenegro, which took place in 2016.

GRU agents Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov were tried in absentia for creating a criminal organisation and attempted terrorism. Shishmakov was also tried for inciting acts against the constitution and safety of Montenegro.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

The failed coup attempt against Montenegro in 2016 was one of the most outrageous examples of Russia’s attempts to undermine European democracy. The GRU’s brazen attempt to interfere with Montenegro’s national elections and undermine Montenegro’s application to join NATO is yet another example of destabilising and aggressive Russian behaviour over the last decade.

The guilty verdicts announced today against the 2 Russian intelligence officers responsible for plotting this coup were the conclusion of Montenegrin legal proceedings of unprecedented transparency. In the face of such overwhelming evidence, Russia’s claims that the 2 men were researching an article about the Russian military in the region during the First World War were proven to be absurd.

Russia is a great country and central to European civilisation. Moscow must desist from any attacks that undermine the territorial integrity and democratic processes of its neighbours or other sovereign states. The UK calls on Russia to choose a different path – to uphold the security of Europe, respect the rules based international system that keeps our societies safe, and to work together with us to fulfil our common responsibilities as permanent members of the UN Security Council.