College of Social Sciences and International Studies
Abstract
This research explores the practice of ‘off-rolling’, defined by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) as: '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' (Ofsted, 2018, p.8). News outlets have widely reported on off-rolling (e.g., Weale, 2018), however there is currently a paucity of academic research into the topic. Schools within England are expected to provide an appropriate and inclusive education, yet there is some evidence to suggest that students with additional needs and those looked after by their local authority are more likely to be removed from their school roll (Bradbury, 2018). Some emerging data from local authorities has indicted that off-rolling can lead to elective home education (Association of Directors of Children’s Services [ADCS], 2018) but little is known about the experiences of those who have encountered off-rolling. This study aims to explore why schools are turning to off-rolling; why they may be suggesting home education as an option; and the impact this is having on the parents who are now home educating their child. This study is made up of two phases: phase one includes vignette interviews with five secondary school staff, and phase two uses semi-structured interviews with 10 parents, all of whom were home educating their child, many as a direct result of off-rolling. The qualitative data for both phases has been analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, in line with Braun and Clarke’s (2019) recommendations. Findings for phase one indicate that the individual characteristics of a school’s culture and the senior leaders within it, can influence incidences of off-rolling, as can the pressure on schools to perform. Findings for phase two reveal that many parents who have encountered off-rolling have children with additional needs, including mental health difficulties. Parents report feeling isolated and alone, and the practice of off-rolling has had implications on their career, health, and household income. The findings of the research have been considered within the bioecological model (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), as well as in relation to existing research within the relevant fields. The research concludes with an overall discussion, which considers limitations of the study, implications for educational psychologists, and suggestions for future research
