What is off-rolling?
Off-rolling is when a pupil is unlawfully removed from the school register.
Ofsted's definition
In its inspection information for state-funded schools, Ofsted defines off-rolling as:
- Removing a pupil from the school roll or preventing them from attending school normally without a formal, permanent exclusion or formal suspension, such as by:
- Moving the pupil to alternative provision, when it's not in the pupil's best interests
- Intentionally not following regulations when carrying out a permanent exclusion
- Sending the pupil home
- Placing the pupil on a part-time timetable
- Placing pressure on a parent to remove their child from the school roll
- Placing pressure on a post-16 student not to continue with their studies
And:
- When the decision is made primarily in the interests of the school and not the pupil
The DfE's stance on unlawful exclusions and off-rolling
The exclusion is