West Coast School Run By Convicted Sex Offenders For 50 Years To Close

| Media Release | Serena Pilgrim |

“Great news.”

That from one Gloriavale leaver after it was announced this afternoon that the school at the West Coast community is to close.

However, Serena Pilgrim also says the wellbeing of the children who will now be schooled outside Gloriavale must remain of the utmost importance.

“What will happen when the children go back to Gloriavale after being schooled externally? It is possible they will be closely supervised by the shepherds and their parents, to ensure the community’s worldview may continue to be reinforced. While this cannot be said with certainty, similar concerns have been raised in the past,” she says.

Ms Pilgrim was critical of the school when she gave evidence as one of six women in an employment case in 2022/2023, which found that the women were not volunteers. She spoke of the lack of academic subjects the girls were taught or could choose, with sewing, cooking and childcare available to them, while the boys were taught subjects such as farming, engineering and carpentry.

“It’s incredibly sexist and in no way prepares girls or women for the real world. It’s a shame that it has taken this long for the school to close but it’s great news that it finally has,” she says.

A 2023 ERO review found the Gloriavale school did not meet six of the eight criteria for private school registration, and the provision of education was “inadequate and uncertain”.

In August, Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad called for the school’s urgent closure, saying she had zero confidence that students were safe.

About 220 children are schooled inside Gloriavale, and just under 100 were attending the private school, which was teaching children up to the age of 15. The rest of the children are homeschooled, a programme that is still being reviewed by ERO.

Serena says the focus must be on the children and that means being sure they are not being “deprogrammed” from the external schooling which will start in Term 1, 2026.

“I have experienced both sides and can speak on the differences in schooling; it’s a huge change. I hope all the children will be well supported throughout this process.”