Gloriavale Christian School registration cancelled following special ERO review
The secretary for education has confirmed Gloriavale Christian School’s registration as a private school will be cancelled, after considering the findings of a special Education Review Office review.
Secretary Ellen MacGregor-Reid told the school’s leaders in December that she was cancelling its registration because of serious concerns the school was not a physically and emotionally safe place for students.
The school remains open as a result of a High Court challenge by the board, with a judicial review hearing set down for three days in October.
On Thursday, Education Services deputy secretary Geoff Short said the ministry had applied to the court to lift orders preventing the school’s closure.
“The secretary for education has decided to cancel Gloriavale Christian School’s registration as a private school after considering findings from a special review by the Education Review Office,” he said.
“The school currently has around 80 students enrolled and the ministry will work with the school community to determine the most practical timing for the school’s closure, with students’ best interests guiding those discussions.
“The ministry has applied to the court to lift interim orders relating to the secretary for education’s December 2025 decision to cancel the school’s registration as a private school to enable this latest decision to be implemented.
“Further information is being provided directly to affected families.”
Education Minister Erica Stanford said she trusted that the secretary’s decision-making process was robust.
“The secretary for education clearly has concerns, as do the Education Review Office, into the quality of the education that’s being provided and the situation those children are in.
“I have absolute and utter confidence in Ellen MacGregor-Reid as the secretary for education to have made the right decision.”
The special review considered whether Gloriavale met the private school registration criteria and the extent to which it had addressed previous Education Review Office (ERO) concerns identified in a November 2024 visit and July 2025 special review.
ERO’s special review report published on Thursday said the school was not meeting one of eight registration criteria, to provide a physically and emotionally safe place for students.
“Inconsistencies between the school and community child protection policies limit assurance that governance oversight is effective and that the school is consistently a physically and emotionally safe place for students,” the report said.
“Information was withheld from ERO in relation to provision, monitoring and reporting requirements for health and safety to and by the premises owners.
“ERO is not confident that systems are operating effectively to identify, manage and monitor risk over time or that reasonable steps have been taken.”
The report noted that the Teaching Council was investigating two allegations of staff misconduct. The school had provided ERO with the letter of suspension for one staff member.
“Staff members subject to role restrictions have continued to operate in restricted areas. Evidence gathered onsite indicates that one staff member continued to participate in board meetings, despite a requirement that they not do so,” the report said.
ERO said Gloriavale’s school met the criteria relating to suitable premises, provision of tuition, suitable staffing, suitable equipment, curriculum, managers assessed as fit and proper and suitable tuition standards.
“Overall, some improvement is evident. However, these improvements are partial and, in key areas, not yet sustained,” ERO said.
“ERO is not yet confident that the school’s systems are sufficiently embedded, consistent and reliable to ensure ongoing compliance with the requirements for registration over time.”
The report said the school was providing education for students in Years 1 to 8, with a roll of 84 students.
Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust manager Liz Gregory told Checkpoint she believed the school would always struggle to meet safety criteria.
“Just with the history of Gloriavale, just the way it has operated and the coercive controlling nature. Basically I think the past has caught up with their present,” she said.
Gregory said student enrolment at a mainstream school would be a “last resort” for Gloriavale.
“They will keep fighting. Every other option would be preferable to them. It does look like a school closure will go ahead, what the final schooling options look like for the students there, that’s yet to be seen.”
In a statement, the Gloriavale Christian School board said it was considering its options.
“The school strongly disagrees with the ministry’s decision and is currently considering its options to challenge it. Given that the matter is ongoing, we will not be making any further comment at this time,” the board said.
Ministry letters to Gloriavale obtained by RNZ under the Official Information Act in May detailed concerns from community members, specialists and agencies about the private school, as the secretary moved to cancel its registration.
The letters noted concerns about most teenagers being prevented from progressing beyond Year 11, a lack of support for young victims and abusers and students not being able to use school toilets without fear.
Separately, an Education Review Office special review of homeschooling by Gloriavale families concluded that they were not meeting the legal requirements.
The agency said homeschooling families were living and learning in overcrowded hostels that could be unsafe and some of the children were struggling to write.
In June the ministry said two surplus classrooms were relocated to Awahono School in Ahaura to support roll fluctuations and could also cater for Gloriavale students if families choose to enrol their children there in future.
In a statement in December, Gloriavale’s school board said it was “deeply disappointed” by the ministry’s decision to cancel its registration.
“We believe this decision is unjust and does not reflect the significant efforts we have made to address concerns raised. The position taken by the ministry is not accepted and will be challenged,” the board said.
Gloriavale has been contacted for comment.