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\nGloriavale Christian Community on the West Coast, taken when it was visited by the Employment Court’s chief judge on 25 February 2023.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Jean Edwards\n<\/p>\n
Parents of students who attended Gloriavale Christian School<\/a> will still have “a range of options” for their children’s education, the Ministry of Education says.<\/p>\n The ministry advised the West Coast Christian community on Thursday that it had decided to cancel the private school’s registration<\/a> from 23 January.<\/p>\n Acting Haut\u016b (leader) Te Tai Runga (South) Andrea Williams said it had only just started working through options with the families, community and other schools.<\/p>\n “The ministry recognises that there is a strong desire from the community for options that recognise their distinct nature and educates their children together as much as possible.<\/p>\n “There are a range of options the ministry is considering within the state system, which includes provision at a local school, establishing a satellite of another state school, a Te Kura Hub or a combination of these.”<\/p>\n Families would need to meet the criteria and be approved to enrol with Te Kura, in line with national processes, she said.<\/p>\n Similarly, any application from families to home school their children would be “treated on its merits”.<\/p>\n “There is guidance on the ministry’s website on the requirements that must be fulfilled to be granted an exemption by the Secretary for Education.”<\/p>\n It would not be possible for the community to set up a charter school for next year as the date for sponsors to submit applications to set up new schools in 2026 had closed, Williams said.<\/p>\n Gloriavale Christian School’s board has said it would challenge the ministry’s decision to cancel its registration.<\/p>\n However, Williams said there were no avenues for the school to do so under the Education and Training Act.<\/p>\n “We can’t comment on other possible avenues of appeal the school might be considering.”<\/p>\n Further details of plans for the children’s education would be shared once they had been confirmed, she said.<\/p>\n The cancellation decision comes after the school’s second failed Education Review Office (ERO) audit<\/a> in as many years.<\/p>\n July’s ERO report found it had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students.<\/p>\n Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid advised the school that she was considering cancelling its registration<\/a> in October.<\/p>\n