Source: Radio New Zealand
Gloriavale Christian Community on the West Coast, taken when it was visited by the Employment Court’s chief judge on 25 February 2023. RNZ / Jean Edwards
The Secretary for Education is cancelling the registration of Gloriavale Christian School.
The school was told of the decision on Thursday, which will take effect from 23 January.
Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid wrote to the private school in October advising she was considering cancelling its registration after a second failed Education Review Office audit in as many years.
July’s ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students.
Education officials met Gloriavale school leaders on 23 July to express concerns about its compliance with registration requirements and issue a second formal “notice to comply”.
In August, Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad called for the school’s urgent closure, saying she had zero confidence that students were safe.
The Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust favoured a special transitional model for the children’s education, if the school closed, saying the community’s hostels were not an appropriate place for homeschooling.
More to come…
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
