Educating Greater Manchester's Drew Povey speaks out after he and brother are banned from teaching

The former star of Educating Greater Manchester, Drew Povey, has expressed his dismay at being prohibited from teaching following a decision by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA). Drew Povey, known for his role as the headteacher of Harrop Fold in Salford on the popular TV series, described himself as 'deeply disappointed' with the decision that bars him from the classroom for a minimum of two years.

The TRA judged both Drew and his brother Ross Povey, the deputy headteacher, to have engaged in 'unacceptable professional conduct', levying an indefinite teaching ban upon them. They were implicated in the practice of 'off-rolling', whereby three students were taken off the school register, actions which the panel found could potentially boost the school's academic statistics, such as GCSE outcomes.

Parents from the now-named, The Lowry Academy, rallied behind Drew Povey following his departure, wanting his return. At that time, despite acknowledging minor 'administrative errors' related to certain pupils, Drew Povey claimed he was facing a 'personal vendetta', reports the Manchester Evening News.

The TRA found the allegations against him proven, confirming failures in record-keeping and consequently exposing students to possible harm, labelling the missteps as 'deliberate'. Drew Povey said: "I am deeply saddened by this decision and the TRA panel's conclusion."

"As I've said countless times, where administrative mistakes were made on my watch, I take full responsibility. But I will never accept that I was involved in any deliberate plan to off-roll or to change attendance data."

He expressed his dedication to education, saying: "My whole career in education was about supporting kids from tough backgrounds and helping them develop their self-belief and resilience – it was never about results or how data looked. Nor should it ever be and school leaders have a moral responsibility to guard against being drawn down that path.

"Every leader, every teacher, every single person who works in schools has a duty of care to every child, with all their brilliance and all their complexities – and whilst this has been a painful and drawn out process for me personally - they are the only ones who matter in all of this."

While Ross Povey was found not to have had any involvement in modifying pupil attendance records, other allegations against him were found proven.

The panel received numerous character statements lauding Drew as 'kind', a 'breath of fresh air', and an 'exceptional charismatic leader'. However, during proceedings in October, Andrew Faux, representing the ex-headmaster, conceded to the panel that his client was a 'poor school manager', acknowledging Drew's 'very limited knowledge' of necessary regulations.

Drew and Ross Povey were banned from teaching for an indefinite period, effectively preventing them from working in any educational or residential setting for children in England. However, they may request to have this order reviewed after two years.

Responding to the decision, Mr Faux expressed his client's disappointment: "The panel's decision was very disappointing and relied to a troubling extent on hearsay evidence. We are considering carefully the right of appeal to the High Court."