Shutting Gloriavale School ‘right decision’
The West Coast Christian community’s school will be deregistered in the wake of significant concerns from the Ministry of Education and ERO
Gloriavale School is to be shut down after a string of failed audits and “serious concerns”.
The Ministry of Education confirmed it was cancelling Gloriavale Christian School’s registration as a private school, as of January 23.
It said it was necessary because the school was not an emotionally and physically safe environment.
Hopeful Disciple, who worked under a limited authority to teach at the school until he left the community in 2021, said the ministry had made the right decision.
He said children had not been safe at the school and were not getting the same access to education as every other New Zealand child.
“The system in there won’t allow changes to be made. I think there’s a hard road for parents from here on out. I really feel for the parents in that situation.
“Each and every parent needs to do what’s best for their children and the leaders need to look at what boundaries they can lift to empower parents to make their own decisions for their children,” he said.
He said options should be given to parents, but he acknowledged it would be difficult for parents to home-school in Gloriavale, where work requirements and space are barriers. It would also be hard to send their children to public schools, which had been vilified by the leadership.
Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid said the reasons for the decision included insufficient evidence provided by the school to assure it was consistently meeting all the criteria for registration of a private school.
She said the school had provided no evidence that it would become compliant with more time.
In July the Education Review Office (ERO)
highlighted ongoing concerns about the physical and emotional safety of students.
MacGregor-Reid said the evidence provided by the school since was insufficient to provide assurance that the concerns had been addressed.
“The Ministry of Education has provided considerable support to the board and staff of Gloriavale Christian School over the last two years,” she said. “Despite two notices to comply and ministry and external support, the school has been unable to demonstrate full compliance and there is insufficient evidence of progress.”
“I remain concerned that these students are not being educated within an emotionally and physically safe school
environment. After a period of engagement with the school and community, and consideration of the evidence, I have decided that cancellation of the school’s registration is necessary.”
Support would be provided for students and families during the transition so that education was in place for term 1 next year.
The ministry previously said it was considering closing the West Coast Christian community’s school after being “seriously concerned” about its failing of a second audit. In July, the ministry said if the school did not take “immediate and meaningful” steps to address the issues it could face suspension or cancellation of its registration as a private school.