Blogs About Gloriavale

  1. Home /
    2. Let’s Talk Gloriavale /
  2. Blogs About Gloriavale

The Daily Vale

Discover a range of blogs and writings discussing Gloriavale, offering varied perspectives on life within and beyond the community. From personal reflections to investigative pieces, these blogs delve into the beliefs, practices, and controversies surrounding Gloriavale. Whether you’re curious, a former member, or a researcher, our curated selection provides insights to explore. Join us on a journey of discovery through these diverse narratives.

Filter:
Another Court Win! Gloriavale Leavers Succeed in Judicial Review Against Labour Inspectorate

Another Court Win! Gloriavale Leavers Succeed in Judicial Review Against Labour Inspectorate

: Another significant court victory for Gloriavale Leavers. The Employment Court has found the Labour Inspector made “numerous reviewable errors” in its handling of concerns about work and workers at Gloriavale. Summary: What the case was about Read the full judgment here. Nine former Gloriavale members (plaintiffs in the Courage and Pilgrim proceedings) asked the Employment Court to judicially review the Labour Inspectorate's handling of the 2017 and 2021 investigations. They challenged the Inspectorate’s decision not to properly investigate following its 2017 desktop inquiry, its decision to exclude children from the 2021 investigation, and its ultimate decision not to investigate further or take enforcement…
Court Win for Leavers and a Court Loss for the Labour Inspectorate and Gloriavale. The Time Bar Issue

Court Win for Leavers and a Court Loss for the Labour Inspectorate and Gloriavale. The Time Bar Issue

: Quick Overview In the ongoing Employment Court sage between Gloriavale Leavers, Gloriavale and the Labour Inspectorate, the judgment on 28 May 2026 delivered an important win for former Gloriavale members seeking compensation for years of unpaid work. Chief Judge Inglis ruled that the leavers were within time to bring their claims and she offered an opportunity to hear their personal grievance claims, even though the limitation period had passed. But in the same breath, this judgement delivered a loss for the Labour Inspectorate that might impact other current and former members of Gloriavale. Judge Inglis ruled that the Labour Inspectorate were out…
Day 1: What happened in the recent Employment Court Judicial Review for MBIE?

Day 1: What happened in the recent Employment Court Judicial Review for MBIE?

: This post sets out the background to the recent Employment Court hearing 16 - 18th March 2026 where Gloriavale Leavers' lawyer Brian Henry requested the MBIE reports from 2017 and 2021 (around the issue of employment status for Gloriavale members) be quashed as they amounted to an error of law and process, and were unreasonable. Court Notes start at Part B of this post. Part A: Background to this Court Hearing (compiled by Liz Gregory) For the detailed background to the employment issues and resulting litigation relating to Gloriavale you may like to read here: Courage (Boys) and here for the…
Why is the Gloriavale School allowed to stay open? Court ruling explained.

Why is the Gloriavale School allowed to stay open? Court ruling explained.

: Why has a court ordered the Gloriavale School to remain open? Great question! I'm being asked this by a lot of people - leavers, current members, and the public. Hopefully this quick lesson in NZ law might assist. I promise to use geek-free explanations! (Read court judgement here if you're keen). Background Gloriavale school was due to have its licenced cancelled on Friday 23rd January 2026. On the 19th January they requested the Secretary of Education delay the date of the cancellation. She responded saying she did not agree to voluntarily delaying her decision. On the day before the cancellation Gloriavale's School…
Gloriavale – will they relocate overseas?

Gloriavale – will they relocate overseas?

: Will Gloriavale relocate overseas? Given the difficulties that Gloriavale are facing, many people in the wider public ask whether we think Gloriavale will upsticks and more to a new country. Perhaps one where they are more isolated and can fly under the radar of authorties and the media? My assessment: History tells us that culty groups under pressure do move. What we now know of as Gloriavale (previously referred to a the Cooperites) moved to the West Coast from Springbank as they faced mounting pressure in the early 1990's. Will they do it again? Might they relocate to their Indian branch? Or…
Part 8: Gloriavale School – Summary

Part 8: Gloriavale School – Summary

: Here's a quick summary of what we've considered over the past few days of blog posts. Blog Post #1: The Gloriavale school will be closing after failing to convince the Ministry of Education they could educate the children in a "physically or emotionally safe environment". Blog Post #2: Gloriavale's reaction to the closure and the long road for advocates Blog Post #3: Background to the Gloriavale School issues Blog post #4: Leavers, supporters and current members' reactions to the announcement. Blog Post #5: Does home schooling have a place in Gloriavale? Is home schooling a hero solution or a hazard? We took a deep dive…
Part 7: Gloriavale Re-School – What will the Solution look like?

Part 7: Gloriavale Re-School – What will the Solution look like?

: Part 7: What is the solution to schooling the Gloriavale children? As we enter this final stretch, let's consider what the solution for educating the children from Gloriavale might look like. In the previous blog posts we've explained the difficulties the community are facing right now with the school closure and what might appear to be the end of home schooling and/or Te Kura (Correspondence School) So let's lay all the options on the table: Option 1: Everyone home schools. My assessment: This will not be an option for the reasons outlines in Blog Post #5 and Blog Post #6. Option 2: All primary and…
Part 6: Gloriavale Homeschooling – Failed ERO Reviews

Part 6: Gloriavale Homeschooling – Failed ERO Reviews

: Part 6: Gloriavale Homeschooling - Failed ERO Reviews As noted in the previous blog post, where I set the scene about home schooling in Gloriavale, during November and December, every family who home schooled was reviewed by ERO. The week before the school closure was announced on 18th December, they received the ERO letters they had been anticipating. Everyone was shocked. Everyone failed the home schooling review There was an understandable shockwave that went through the community. Is it possible that everyone failed to reach the standard - “at least as regularly and as well as” a registered school. EVERY. SINGLE. FAMILY.…
Part 5: Gloriavale Homeschooling – Hero or Hazard?

Part 5: Gloriavale Homeschooling – Hero or Hazard?

: Part 5: Gloriavale School - Is Homeschooling a Hero or a Hazard? In a previous life I was a school teacher, and I was privileged to teach at a wonderful school - and so I'm a fan of schools. They are generally filled with very hard-working and dedicated staff, who desire to stretch your children's brains, who dedicate themselves to helping your children learn, nurture them emotionally and who instill in them a healthy sense of self. Schools offer interactions with all kinds of people, teaching kindness and tolerance. They are also safe spaces where children who suffer neglect and abuse…
Part 4: Gloriavale School – Reactions to Announcement

Part 4: Gloriavale School – Reactions to Announcement

: Part Four – Reactions from Leavers, Current Members, the Public After a decisive announcement like a school closure, there will always be 1000’s of opinions swirling around. So I thought I’d collate some of them and leave them here for future generations to digest. Reactions from Current Members “Shock and resignation” was how one Gloriavale insider put it. I’m not entirely sure where the shock bit has come from because the schooling issues have been piling up for a while. But another current member reminded me that when you live in a society like Gloriavale, you are always going from one crisis to another.…
Part 3: Gloriavale School – Built to Fail?

Part 3: Gloriavale School – Built to Fail?

: Part Three – Why is the School Closing? It’s a decades long tale but to set the scene, the group started a school on the Spingbank site around 1971. This school did have some people involved who had trained as teachers and had passion for education. They needed a minimum number to get the school going and they were short by a few children. (Interesting side story, but a leaver wanted me to note here that Hopeful Christian finally managed to get the numbers to start the school by using deceit and manipulation to bring a grieving widow and her…
Part 2: Gloriavale School – A Marathon and a finish line??

Part 2: Gloriavale School – A Marathon and a finish line??

: Part Two: Gloriavale School - The never-ending marathon and could the decision be overturned? I will liken the last 6 years of advocacy relating to the poor educational provision the children in Gloriavale were receiving to a gruelling marathon.  Have you ever been in a race where you think the finish line is closer than you realise, so you start out a bit too fast, only to realise it’s a long race…? There were times when leavers and advocates slowed down to a plod, then speed up, went up hills and down dales, carry burdens, share burdens and offload burdens. There were…