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    • Drew Povey, Greater Manchester’s chief education officer, has been banned from the profession indefinitely
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    Drew Povey, Greater Manchester’s chief education officer, has been banned from the profession indefinitely

    Online Niel Posted on


    Educating Drew Povey of Greater Manchester
    Education Greater Manchester headteacher Drew Povey has been banned from teaching (Image: Channel 4/Ryan Mcnamara)

    A former director appeared on Educating Greater Manchester he was banned from the profession indefinitely after a tribunal.

    Andrew ‘Drew’ Povey’s school accused of becoming ‘zoo’ as pupils’ the behavior has become “dangerous” after refusing to exclude them.

    The 47-year-old was chief executive at Harrop Fold SchoolWorsley, but resigned from the post after the allegations he “discharged” three students in an “inappropriate manner”.

    Off-rolling is where a student is removed from school without being permanently expelled, usually done in the best interests of the institution rather than the best interests of the child.

    The Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) launched a misconduct case after Povey was accused of regularly sending pupils home and failing to record it, which was proven.

    Povey’s brother Ross, who also appeared on the Channel 4 show as his boss’s assistant, was also investigated and banned over the allegations.


    Television programme, 'Educating Greater Manchester', TX Channel 4. Staff and pupils at Harrop Fold School in Salford in the academic year 2016-17. With headteacher Drew Povey at the helm, the school has been on an incredible journey over the past few years and despite having over 750 pupils, the staff seem to be geared towards supporting individuals.
    He taught at Harrop Fold School, which closed in 2018 (Image: Channel 4)

    The allegations included “failing to maintain and/or ensure that staff kept accurate records of student attendance on one or more occasions.”

    Povey also “caused and/or permitted and/or failed to prevent the withdrawal of one or more students” and “failed to protect the student(s) from the risk of potential harm.”

    Conformable Daily Mailsenior staff member Phil Ince claimed in a statement that he heard Povey using the walkie-talkie to order staff to “send the kids home”.

    He claimed staff considered striking over safety concerns, adding in the now public hearing that “from about 2015 it started to deteriorate rapidly and it would be small things at first but then it snowballed a hill”.


    Television programme: Educating Greater Manchester S2. Drew Povey.
    He was accused of taking out three students (Image: Channel 4/Ryan Mcnamara)

    The three off-list students were removed before “a certain period” of the January 2018 consensus, which the TRA claimed was “a calculation… to make the school look better”.

    Two were given alternative provisions, but the third was deemed “lacking in education”.

    Povey said in a statement: “(For) the administrative mistakes that were made with two children, and as the leader of that school, I take full responsibility.”

    However, he argued that concluding a “deliberate plan to delist to benefit the performance of the school as a whole is completely out of line”.

    His brother was acquitted of tampering with student attendance charges, but all other charges were upheld.


    Television programme: Educating Greater Manchester? Head Teacher Mr Drew Povey Copyright: Channel 4 Ep 2
    Povey said he “takes full responsibility” for the “administrative mistakes” (Image: Channel 4/Ryan Mcnamara)

    Ofsted closed the school in 2018 after rating it as ‘inadequate’, later reopening it as Lowry Academy 2021.

    Povey announced his resignation that same year, which came months after the Channel 4 documentary show was filmed.

    Educating Greater Manchester was due to airing a second season but the episodes were shot after the school was put into lockdown.

    The TRA said: “The panel was satisfied that his (Povey’s) conduct amounted to misconduct of a serious nature which fell significantly short of the standards expected of the profession.

    “Accordingly, the panel was satisfied that (Povey) was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.”

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