28 Heaphy Road , Haupiri
View on mapEducation Provision within the Gloriavale Community
The Gloriavale community is a faith-based community. It is remotely located in an area of the west coast of the South Island, approximately 60 kilometres east of Greymouth. Parents educate their children within the bounds of the community.
In 2023, the Chief Review Officer undertook a Special Review under section 463 of the Education and Training Act (2020), looking specifically at the quality of educational provision and support for all school-aged children in the Gloriavale community. A special review allows ERO to widen its scope and focus more broadly on what is happening for all school-aged learners in Gloriavale. At that time, court cases citing incidences of physical and sexual abuse of children within the Gloriavale community and findings about young people’s employment status and the suitability of some school staffing were significant events impacting schooling.
In October 2023, ERO’s special review found provision of education for school-aged learners in the Gloriavale community was inadequate and uncertain. The review found Gloriavale Christian School did not meet 6 of the 8 criteria for private school registration. These were in provision of suitable premises, staffing, curriculum, tuition standards, a physically and emotionally safe space and managers assessed as fit and proper persons (see appendix three). It was also found that the community’s long-term planning did not meet the educational needs of its children and young people.
ERO recommended that the Gloriavale community leaders:
ensure that the school meets its requirements for registration as a private school
urgently develop a long-term strategic plan for educational provision across the community that:
ensures that all children up to the age of 16 are successfully engaged in meaningful learning programmes and pathways, have access to high quality teaching and learning and are progressing and achieving well
includes how education provision will be monitored, evaluated and assurance provided to the community that all students are experiencing success
considers externally led or supported provision
ensure that the Child Protection, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, and Health and Safety policies are well implemented and that the physical and emotional health and safety of all learners is closely, regularly, and sufficiently monitored across all schooling provision
as governing members should be assessed by the Ministry of Education in line with fit and proper person role requirements.
ERO committed to:
In late 2024, ERO undertook a special review of all schooling options for children living within the Gloriavale community, including home schooling reviews for 96 individual children.
An outline of education provisions, oversight arrangements and terms of reference for this special review are found in appendix one and two of this report.
Education provision within the Gloriavale community includes Gloriavale Christian Preschool, Gloriavale Christian School, home schooling and the use of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura).
Gloriavale Christian Preschool has reopened since the previous review, with a small group of children attending regularly and more casual attendance fluctuating on any given day.
At the time of this review about half of the approximately 224 school aged children living within the Gloriavale community are home-schooled, nearly 40% are enrolled at the Private School and the remainder are enrolled with Te Kura. There are examples of families who have accessed all three schooling options, depending on the needs of their children.
A long-term strategic plan covering the education provision for all children in the community up to the age of 16, is not yet in place. Although a range of education options for children aged 0 to 16 are available, community leaders have expressed their preference that school aged children attend the private school going forward.
Education provision in the Gloriavale Christian School is slowly improving. The school board and staff have worked extensively with board-contracted external support and Ministry of Education advice and guidance to develop capacity to provide high quality learning and teaching. The school is now following The New Zealand Curriculum.
At the time of the previous review 6 out of 8 criteria for registration as a private school were not being met. In this review the school does not meet 3 of the criteria, these being the provision of:
suitable staffing for students with complex additional needs
suitable equipment for students with complex additional needs
a physically and emotionally safe space.
The large majority of children receiving education through home-schooling are taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school. Gloriavale Christian Preschool is working towards fully implementing quality systems, processes and practices to enable the delivery of a responsive curriculum for all children. Students studying through Te Kura feel well supported.
Access to education across the community is inequitable. Families have limited choice due to a range of factors:
The scope and coverage of the curriculum offered at the school and in home schooling is limited, as is accessibility to a range of career and tertiary pathways options available to students.
ERO is not yet assured that all learners physical and emotional health and safety is closely, regularly and sufficiently considered and monitored across all schooling provisions. The inconsistent application of some policies and procedures poses risk to children given a history of unsafe practices within the Gloriavale community. The Gloriavale Christian Trust Board and the school board must ensure that policy implementation and reporting is rigorous and beyond question.
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is currently investigating an allegation of staff misconduct. The school has provided ERO with the letter of expectations with formal monitoring for the staff member.
The Gloriavale Christian Trust Board (GCTB), along with the Gloriavale Christian School Board, (GCSB) have made progress against some recommendations from ERO’s 2023 report:
Ensure that the school meets its requirements for registration as a private school.
The school now meets 5 out of 8 requirements for registration as a private school. In order to meet the full criteria for registration as a private school, the Gloriavale Christian School must address the following matters:
Urgently develop a long-term strategic plan for educational provision across the community that:
A long-term strategic plan covering the education provision for all children in the community up to the age of 16, is not yet in place.
A strategic plan (2024-2026) has been developed for Gloriavale Christian School in consultation with the community and supported by external consultants. It outlines strategic priorities for the school from 2024. From Term 1 2025, the school intends to enrol students from Year 11 again and re-establish National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).
Strategic planning to support sustainability and ongoing improvements is not currently in place for the early learning centre.
Ensure that the Child Protection, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, and Health and Safety policies are well implemented and that the physical and emotional health and safety of all learners is closely, regularly, and sufficiently monitored across all schooling provision.
Property maintenance and responsibility for children’s physical health and safety while they use the school and early childhood service rests with the Gloriavale Christian Trust Board.
There is a comprehensive and externally supported Child Protection Policy in place across the community. A team of Child Protection Officers (CPO) meet fortnightly to discuss any concerns. A reporting process is in place and is used by the CPOs to report concerns to the relevant agency.
Suitable policy and procedures are in place but there are aspects of how these are enacted in practice that require improvement.
ERO is not yet assured that all learners physical and emotional health and safety is closely, regularly, and sufficiently considered and monitored across all schooling provision.
In August 2024, the community reopened Gloriavale Christian Preschool under the umbrella of the Christian Church Community Trust. Gloriavale Christian Preschool is open four mornings per week, for up to 40 children aged two to five years.
Enrolments are mainly casual, with a small group of children attending on a more regular basis since the service has reopened. Families can self-refer for casual enrolment based on family needs and, therefore, attendance patterns fluctuate on any given day.
Using ERO’s Improvement Framework, the centre manager identified that the service was working towards fully implementing quality systems, processes and practices to enable the delivery of a responsive curriculum for all children. ERO’s evaluation verified this.
An area of concern was identified.
Excursion records do not include approved ratios, risk assessments, method of travel and consistent approval by the person responsible.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; HS17.
The provision of high-quality curriculum, teaching and learning at the school is at early stages. A plan is in place to bring about required improvements. This is facilitated by external consultants and monitored by the Ministry of Education.
The criteria for registration as a Private School, as set out in clauses 2 to 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act), are that the school:
ERO’s assessment against the private school criteria is as follows:
Meeting
Meeting
Not Meeting
The school now has staffing that is suitable to the age range and level of their students. However, there is insufficient provision of suitable staffing for children with additional and complex needs.
At the time of the ERO onsite review phase, the school was supporting an enrolled student with extremely high and very complex needs that impact on full onsite engagement within the classroom.
The appointment process for a specialist teacher funded by the Ongoing Resource Scheme was in process. The school had a plan for allocating specialist teaching resourcing to the learner and recruiting teacher aides.
Since this review, visits from specialists to support communication and socialisation have occurred. An overarching goal of supporting full attendance and achievement at school is in place within the limitations of the school’s isolation, the wishes of family and the severity of the complex needs.
In relation to students with additional needs, there is evidence that planning for inclusive, differentiated approaches are beginning. Standardised assessments are beginning to be used to inform teaching and learning decisions. Teacher aides (often teachers in training) support individual students within classrooms.
All teachers are registered with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is currently investigating an allegation of staff misconduct. The school has provided ERO with the letter of expectations with formal monitoring for the staff member.
Professional learning is in place to support teachers to build their capability and confidence in delivering education using The New Zealand Curriculum. External consultants are supporting and building pedagogical knowledge and leadership. A number of community members are currently training with the view to teaching at the school in the near future.
Not Meeting
The school has equipment that is suitable for the curriculum and nearly all children.
However, enrolled students with high and complex needs are unable to attend because there is insufficient equipment in the school environment to adequately support their physical needs.
Meeting
The school has recently adopted the New Zealand Curriculum which provides the basis of a coherent, student-centred curriculum.
Assessment capability is at early stages with the recent introduction and better use of up-to-date standardised assessment tools to support more responsive planning for learning progression.
Meeting
Teachers are now using a suitable curriculum and valid assessment and reporting. There is evidence that planning for inclusive, differentiated approaches are beginning. Standardised assessments are beginning to be used to inform teaching and learning decisions.
Teacher capability to manage challenging behaviour is supported through professional learning and capability is growing across the teaching team.
Meeting
As the Trust Board has responsibility for facilities, assets and health and safety across Gloriavale this places obligations to meet the criteria for registration as a Private School, as set out in clauses 2 to 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act), on the Trust Board alongside the School Board. Members of both the Trust Board and the School Board have attested that they are fit and proper persons. At the time of the onsite phase of this review, not all attestations provided to ERO had been assessed by the Ministry of Education as meeting the fit and proper person criteria.
Since the onsite phase of the review, the Ministry of Education has reported to ERO that it has assessed all Trust Board and School Board members as fit and proper.
The school needs to ensure processes are sufficiently robust that all current and new governing members required to be assessed fit and proper are identified and assessment completed in a timely manner through the Ministry of Education.
A safe place is one in which risks to student safety are regularly assessed and evaluated with a view to eliminating, or at least reducing, harm. A safe place is one where clear policies exist and are acted upon to eliminate or minimise harm.
ERO’s judgement is based on the quality, intent and regular review of the school’s policies and procedures.
Suitable policy and procedures are in place but there are aspects of how these are enacted in practice that require improvement. These are:
ERO reviewed the provision for 96 of the 108 children exempted from a registered school.
Key reasons identified by parents for home schooling include wanting a successful education for their children, keeping their children safe, responding to challenges of children’s behaviour and staff shortages in the school.
An education review of an exempted student determines whether or not the exempted student is taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school.
[Section 38(1)(a) Education and Training Act 2020].
ERO finds that:
Almost all children are taught as regularly as in a registered school.
Most children are taught at least as well as in a registered school.
A range of home school curricula are used by parents to support their children’s learning. Over half the children are now using different curricula than approved in the exemption.
Some curricula do not provide pathways to recognised secondary school qualifications although they are sufficient for many junior learners at the current time. In future, as children age, fewer home school programmes will meet the threshold for educating children as well as in a registered school, if not adapted overtime.
Resourcing for home schooling families is not equitable across the community. A wide range of factors contribute to this, including where people are permitted to live and the number of people living within an area.
Children with additional learning needs, previously enrolled in the Awhina Class, are supported by their families in a home school programme. External agencies are used to target behaviour management, mental health, disability support and social services.
Home schooled children living on the main site can participate in some school activities and access the wider community environment during the school day. Supervision for children is expected to be provided by the parents of home-schooled children. It is unclear who has responsibility for the health and safety of children while they participate in school activities.
ERO reviewed the quality of supervision and support for students enrolled in Te Kura. ERO did not review the education provision provided by Te Kura.
Secondary level students in Gloriavale Christian Community are currently enrolled in one of three education pathways: the Gloriavale Christian School, home school programmes or Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu. The private school currently offers tuition up to Years 9 and 10 with the intention of expanding to Year 11 during 2025. In recent years, due to a lack of capacity to provide secondary programmes in the private school, senior secondary students have transitioned to one of the two distance learning options. Likewise, home schooled learners have had the option of continuing with these programmes to pursue the Christian Education New Zealand Certificate of Academic Achievement or transitioning to Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu to pursue NCEA qualifications.
At the time of this special review 29 students were enrolled with Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu aged between 7 and 16 years. Students study independently in their homes under the supervision of parents. They reported having access to adequate digital devices, equipment, resources and facilities to support their learning. Most students reported regular study routines and active involvement and supervision by parents. Parents and students identified that managing distractions in busy home environments remained a challenge and parents described a range of strategies they use to mitigate this. Some families work together to provide opportunities for collaborative learning.
Parents, in general, felt well informed about the secondary learning options for their children and had ready access to programme advisors. A proportion of learners reported feeling only ‘a little prepared’ for study through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu which could suggest the need for further transition support.
The majority of secondary learners, boys and girls, aspire to achieve national qualifications at NCEA Level 2 and above. They are currently studying a variety of courses towards NCEA Levels 1 to 3, including but not limited to mathematics, science, technology, visual arts, home economics and English.
That the Gloriavale Christian Trust Board:
That the Gloriavale Christian School Board:
The Education Review Office will carry out a special review of education provision across the Gloriavale Christian community for learners up to the age of 16 years within 24 months. ERO requests a review of progress toward the recommendations of this report to be sent within the next 12 months.
Sharon Kelly Lisa Oldridge
Director of Schools Director of Early Learning
2 July 2025
There are four ways that children can access educational programmes within the Gloriavale community, all were included in the special review:
Gloriavale Christian Preschool, under the umbrella of the Christian Church Community Trust, provides education and care four mornings per week, for up to 40 children aged two - five years. ERO reviewed how well the service met regulatory requirements and delivered a quality curriculum consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Governance for the early learning service includes the licensee and service manager. Property maintenance and responsibility for children’s physical health and safety while using the property rests with the Gloriavale Christian Trust Board.
Gloriavale Christian School, a Year 1-13 private school. At the time of this review, the school enrolled only students from Year 1 to 10. The Education Review Office (ERO) reviews of private schools are significantly different, in process, scope and reporting, than those for state and state-integrated schools. They focus on the criteria for registration set out in clauses 2 to 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020. Clause 9, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act requires ERO to review private schools and to report to the Secretary for Education on whether each school meets the criteria for registration.
Governance for the private school is the Gloriavale School Board. Property maintenance and responsibility for children’s physical health and safety while using the property rests with the Gloriavale Christian Trust Board.
At the time of the previous review, a large number of families had chosen to home school their children and received Certificates of Exemption from attending a registered school by the Ministry of Education. The Education Review Office (ERO) may carry out reviews of the education services provided to persons exempted from the requirements of section 35 of the Education and Training Act 2020.
Governance for accessing resources and financial support is through individual family request to Gloriavale Christian Trust Board. Individual children’s programmes are led and facilitated by their parents.
ERO reviewed the quality of supervision and support for senior students enrolled in Te Kura. ERO did not review the education provision provided by Te Kura. Early learning, primary and secondary schooling, including senior students accessing NCEA programmes are provided to learners in the community.
The special review will consider:
NB: the first three bullet points were recommendations from the 2023 special review report.
Additional evaluation questions based on the individual home school reviews carried out mid-2024.
ERO gathered evidence from the following sources:
Criteria | Findings | Comments |
| Suitable premises | Not meeting | The school site meets criteria. Premises for the Awhina class do not meet the criteria. This class comprises approximately 20% of the school roll. These students are in their own homes. ERO was not assured that these premises meet the necessary requirements. |
| Enrolment for tuition | Meeting | The school usually provides tuition for 9 or more students who are of or over the age of 5 years but are under the age of 16 years. |
| Suitable Staffing | Not meeting | The school does not have staffing that is suitable to the age range and level of its students, the curriculum taught at the school, and the size of the school. Teachers are registered. Only two have school teaching qualifications and relevant experience. The boys in Years 8 to 10 have a secondary trained teacher and the girls at the same level have an ECE trained teacher. Eight out of 10 teachers have ECE qualifications: Six with diplomas and two with bachelors’ degrees. There is no appropriate, equitable and stable curriculum and pedagogical leadership. The school tries to support new, inexperienced teachers through learning opportunities pertinent to their professional needs. The school board acknowledges the issues around suitable staffing for the school. |
| Suitable equipment | Meeting | The school has equipment that is suitable for the curriculum being delivered or to be delivered at the school. |
| Curriculum | Not meeting | The school is not delivering a coherent student-centred curriculum. Teachers use a range of outsourced programmes. There is very little assessment capability and no evidence of a cohesive programme of assessment and responsive planning for learning progression. A suitable curriculum was not in place for students in the Awhina class. |
Criteria | Findings | Comments |
| Suitable tuition standards | Not meeting | Teachers are not using a suitable curriculum, valid assessment and reporting and there was very little evidence of planning based on an inclusive, differentiated approach. Standardised PAT assessments are used but are invalid due to the age of the tests used and how they are administered and analysed. They are not currently used to inform teaching and learning. Teachers had limited capability in managing challenging behaviour or understanding and catering for children with differing needs. Children in the Awhina class are not taught by a registered teacher. |
| Managers fit and proper persons | Not meeting | ERO is not assured that all managers are fit and proper persons. The Gloriavale Christian School Trust Board and the principal are deemed managers of the school as they control and manage the school under the Act whether or not they have a proprietary interest in it. (Refer to definition of 'managers of a private school' in section 10 of the Act). Only one member of the school board has attested to the Ministry of Education and been assessed. Through the course of this review ERO has received no evidence that the school managers have been assessed as being fit and proper persons. [Note: A statutory declaration does not constitute such an assessment as required under clause 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020]. |
| Physically and emotionally safe space | Not meeting | ERO has reviewed this provision across all schooling options. Please see the findings within the body of the report. Although the private school management has improved policy and procedures, a process for fully understanding, monitoring and reporting student wellbeing, and in particular for the Awhina class, is not sufficiently evident |
The Gloriavale community is a faith-based community in a remote area of the west coast of the South Island, approximately 60 kilometres east of Greymouth.
Education provision within the community was previously reviewed in 2020. At that time, ERO reviewed provision of the Gloriavale Christian School and the three early childhood centres, Gloriavale Christian Preschool, Gloriavale Christian Little Ones and Gloriavale Christian Toddlers.
Gloriavale Christian School is a Year 1-13 private school. The Education Review Office (ERO) reviews of private schools are significantly different in process and more limited in scope and reporting than those for state and state-integrated schools. They focus on the criteria for registration set out in clauses 2 to 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020. Clause 9. Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act requires ERO to review private schools and to report to the Secretary for Education on whether each school meets the criteria for registration.
Changes in legislative and regulatory settings, greater teacher professionalisation, and the strengthening of systems and practices in child safety and wellbeing have contributed to an increase in awareness of the health, safety and welfare of children and young people in schools. This has raised expectations for institutions and required a deeper focus in ERO’s evaluations, to ensure that students are learning in an emotionally and physically safe environment.
Important changes to education settings have added new layers of protection for children with the tightening of systems across agencies, information sharing, and in particular the Children’s Act 2014 ensuring a stronger and systematic vetting process for those working with children.
Recent court cases citing incidences of physical and sexual abuse of children within the Gloriavale community and findings about young people’s employment status and the suitability of some school staffing have been significant events impacting schooling since the previous review.
Since 2020 the school has undergone several changes in leadership and staffing and has ceased to provide secondary schooling beyond Year 10. Schooling within the community now encompasses not only the Gloriavale Christian School, but also study through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura), and home-schooling for students approved for exemption from attending a registered school by the Ministry of Education.
The events above led to the Chief Review Officer’s decision to undertake a Special Review under section 463 of the Education and Training Act (2020), looking specifically at the quality of educational provision and support for all school-aged children in the Gloriavale community. A special review allows ERO to widen its scope and focus more broadly on what is happening for all school-aged learners in Gloriavale.
At the time of this Special Review, there was no provision for early childhood learning in the community. Hence this review focuses solely on education provision for school-aged children. Since the onsite phase of this review, an early childhood service has been relicensed. ERO will review the early childhood service in due course.
During the onsite phase of the review, community leaders declined to provide ERO a definite number of school-aged children or a full overview of the educational provision for every school-aged learner in the community, stating that the choice of education provision is up to the parents.
There were 139 students enrolled to attend the Gloriavale Christian School. However, almost 20% of these enrolled students did not attend the school premises and school management has limited oversight of provision.
At the time of the review a further 42 students were homeschooled. The numbers of children enrolled in Te Kura were not provided to ERO by the community.
The provision of high-quality education for school-aged learners in the Gloriavale community, is inconsistent and uncertain. With the choice of provision for learners expanded, the community is now in a position where there is limited oversight and knowledge about every learner's progress and achievement across the community. Community leaders are aware of the issues facing the provision of suitable, high-quality education to school-aged children within the community, but have no planned, documented, long term approach as to how they will address the challenges currently facing them. Schooling is in a precarious situation and long-term planning to meet the educational needs of the community’s children and young people is essential going forward.
Overall, ERO is not assured that all children up to the age of 16 are successfully engaged in meaningful learning programmes and pathways, and progressing and achieving well, or that their health and safety while accessing education is sufficiently well monitored. Furthermore, ERO has determined that the Gloriavale Christian School does not meet many of the criteria for registration as a private school.
ERO does not consider that the Gloriavale community has a sustainable solution to ensuring coherent, consistent, high-quality schooling for all learners within the community, reflecting rights provided in the Education and Training Act 2020.
Findings for each of the current educational choices are outlined below.
Gloriavale Christian School is owned by the Gloriavale Trust Board. The school currently has 139 students aged approximately 6 – 14 years. Since mid-2022 the school has faced considerable difficulties in finding suitable staffing. There have been three principals over a period of 18 months. The school is currently staffed with registered teachers. However, only two staff have primary or secondary school teaching qualifications and relevant experience.
There have been some recent positive changes to the operation of the school. In 2022, a School Board was created to oversee the governance, providing a separation from the Trust Board, and enabling the principal to focus on management. The Board, which includes staff and parents, has engaged with external governance expertise to build its capability, and is focussed on seeking solutions and acting with due diligence.
A new, externally provided system is in place to ensure fit for purpose policies and procedures that are regularly reviewed. This should ensure that the school has suitable and current policies and procedures over all aspects of the school.
To facilitate the accurate recording of student data and attendance the school has recently established a student management system. This is yet to be fully understood and used by staff.
Gloriavale Christian School is not providing an adequate education that meets the registration criteria for a private school. It is not able to provide any tuition suitable beyond Year 10, and the standard of the tuition given to the students is lower than that given to students enrolled at state schools of the same year levels. In assessing the standard of tuition, the mode of curriculum delivery and the regularity of instruction were considered. Beyond Year 10 the options and pathways are not clearly understood by all learners and their families and there is an unplanned approach to secondary school education. Girls were less able to talk about their future pathways than were boys.
Primary school children spoken to were not well informed about their schooling options and were vague about future studies and setting goals. Nor were they particularly well informed about their own levels of achievement.
At the time of the ERO review this class comprised 26 students, across ages, who are taught by their mothers in their homes, thus not attending school when it is open for instruction. The school has not taken all reasonable steps to ensure their attendance under section 36 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (note the definition of registered school includes a private school). Twenty-five of these students do not have exemptions to be home-schooled and are not enrolled in Te Kura.
The children were identified by the school and the parents as not meeting certain criteria for inclusion in the school setting and requiring a different approach because of a range of issues, including behaviour. The class is seen as a transition class, but in six months only five students have transitioned back to school.
The school did not provide ERO with clear, coherent information about the rationale for the establishment of the Awhina class. Similarly, there was insufficient information on the diagnosis, selection, professional intervention, or advice that was part of setting up the Awhina class. Monitoring of the children’s education by a registered teacher is irregular and there is insufficient evidence that the needs of all Awhina students are being met or that they are making progress in either their learning or their wellbeing.
The criteria for registration as a Private School, as set out in clauses 2 to 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (the Act), are that the school:
has premises that are suitable, as described in clause 3, Schedule 7; and
usually provides tuition for 9 or more students who are of or over the age of 5 years but are under the age of 16 years [clause 2(b), Schedule 7); and
has staffing that is suitable to the age range and level of its students, the curriculum taught at the school, and the size of the school (clause 2(c), Schedule 7; and
has equipment that is suitable for the curriculum being delivered or to be delivered at the school (clause 2(d) Schedule 7); and
has a curriculum for teaching, learning, and assessment and makes details of the curriculum and its programme for delivery available for parents; and
has suitable tuition standards, as described in clauses 2(e), (f) and 5, Schedule 7; and
has managers who are fit and proper persons (as described in clause 6, Schedule 7) to be managers of a private school; and
is a physically and emotionally safe place for students (clause 2(h), Schedule 7).
ERO’s assessment against the private school criteria is as follows:
| Criteria | Findings | Comments |
|---|---|---|
a) Suitable premises |
Not meeting |
The school site meets criteria. Premises for the Awhina class do not meet the criteria. This class comprises approximately 20% of the school roll. These students are in their own homes. ERO was not assured that these premises meet the necessary requirements. |
b) Enrolment for tuition |
Meeting | The school usually provides tuition for nine or more students who are of or over the age of five years but are under the age of 16 years. |
c) Suitable staffing |
Not meeting |
The school does not have staffing that is suitable to the age range and level of its students, the curriculum taught at the school, and the size of the school. Teachers are registered. Only two have school teaching qualifications and relevant experience. The boys in Years 8 to 10 have a secondary trained teacher and the girls at the same level have an ECE trained teacher. Eight out of the 10 teachers have ECE qualifications. Six with Diplomas and two with Bachelor's degrees. There is no appropriate, equitable and stable curriculum and pedagogical leadership. The school tries to support new, inexperienced teachers through learning opportunities pertinent to their professional needs. The school board acknowledges the issues around suitable staffing for the school. |
d) Suitable Equipment |
Meeting | The school has equipment that is suitable for the curriculum being delivered or to be delivered at the school. |
e) Curriculum |
Not meeting |
The school is not delivering a coherent student-centered curriculum. Teachers use a range of outsourced programmes. There is very little assessment capability and no evidence of a cohesive programme of assessment and responsive planning for learning progression. A suitable curriculum was not in place for students in the Awhina class. |
f) Suitable tuition standards |
Not meeting |
Teachers are not using a suitable curriculum, valid assessment and reporting and there is very little evidence of planning based on an inclusive, differentiated approach. Standardised PAT assessments are used but are invalid due to the age of the tests used and how they are administered and analysed. They are not currently used to inform teaching and learning. Teachers had a limited capability in managing challenging behaviour or understanding and catering for children with differing needs. Children in the Awhina class are not taught by a registered teacher. |
g) Managers fit and proper persons |
Not meeting |
ERO is not assured that all managers are fit and proper persons. The Gloriavale Christian School Trust Board and the principal are deemed managers of the school as they control and manage the school under the Act whether or not they have a proprietary interest in it. (Refer to definition of 'managers of a private school' in section 10 of the Act). Only one member of the school board has attested to the Ministry of Education and been assessed. Through the course of this review ERO has received no evidence that the school managers have been assessed as being fit and proper persons. [Note: A statutory declaration does not constitute such an assessment as required under clause 6, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020] |
h) Physically and emotionally safe space |
Not meeting | ERO has reviewed this provision across all schooling options. Please see the findings within the body of the report. Although the private school management has improved policy and procedures, a process for fully understanding, monitoring and reporting student wellbeing, and in particular for the Awhina class, is not sufficiently evident. |
Next Steps
In order to meet the criteria for registration as a private school the Gloriavale Christian School needs to urgently address the findings of this report.
It must:
seek assessment by the Ministry of Education that all school managers under current registration are fit and proper persons
discontinue the Awhina programme. The programme does not meet the attendance and exemption to attendance requirements under sections 36 and 42 of the Education and Training Act 2020. Under section 42 of the Act, the parent, principal, and the MOE need to consider and agree to a plan in the student’s best interests that reduces the student’s hours of attendance to help meet the student’s well-being as identified in writing by a medical practitioner or a psychologist
develop a coherent, cohesive student-centred curriculum, and ensure that in developing and delivering the curriculum the school’s principal and staff have regard any national education and learning priorities under clause 7, Schedule 7 of the Act.
build the learning conditions and teaching capability to meet the needs of all students
develop and embed valid, standardised methods of assessing children's achievement and progress
ensure parents receive regular written reports (at least twice a year) about their children’s progress and achievement
ensure equity of opportunity within the curriculum and the tuition, for all students. Continue to use external expertise to identify and suitably support children with specific learning and behaviour needs
with urgency, build staff capability to monitor student wellbeing and manage challenging behaviour.
The number of community children in home-schooling has increased significantly. Since the previous ERO review of Gloriavale Christian School, many parents have chosen to withdraw their children from the school due to it no longer meeting their children’s needs. In home-schooling, parents are responsible for the programme taught in the home.
ERO was provided a full list of home-schooling families and independently chose a sample of 3 large families, to visit and interview, who have been home-schooling for up to 5 months.
Some home-schooling families have been allocated additional space and resources. ERO could not verify that this space and resourcing is applied to all.
The home-school families sampled had thorough applications for exemptions to home-school. These included genuine reasons to homeschool their children and clear goals and objectives for learning through a variety of appropriate curriculum pathways. These families have planning and processes for monitoring the achievement of their children. Some have made good use of support organisations to enrich the home-schooling experience.
In the three homes visited the children were engaged in a range of learning tasks and activities. Learning routines are being embedded in everyday life. Some parents use the local environment well to enhance their children’s learning. All children have opportunities to engage with other children from Gloriavale and in some specific activities with the Gloriavale Christian School.
Verifying that all home-schooled children across the community are being taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school would require a full review process for each individual child.
ERO reviewed the quality of supervision and support for students enrolled in Te Kura. ERO did not review the education provision provided by Te Kura.
Through Te Kura, students (boys and girls), study a variety of courses towards National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 1 to 3, including but not limited to mathematics, science, visual arts, home economics and English. Study with a shared supervisor was initially instituted by Gloriavale but has not been sustained. Students study independently in their homes, supervised by one or more parent.
Students have access to digital devices, and equipment and facilities that are mostly adequate. Students and their parents reported having regular study routines and sufficient time to study with the ability to be flexible at times. However, some variability is evident in the support and supervision students received from adults. Some students report the need for a more suitable environment, free from distractions such as younger children, and for greater priority to be given to the time and space to study. This applies particularly to girls.
Gloriavale leaders and parents indicated to ERO that they are supportive of young people gaining higher qualifications. However, the outcomes sought are not always the expectation for achieving a minimum of NCEA Level 2 or equivalent, that would allow learners to thrive in a future pathway of choice.
Parents were in the main familiar with their roles and responsibilities, with many helping students set and review goals. While there is a willingness to enable access to Te Kura and/or homeschooling, parents report some challenges around supervising learning within busy home environments.
This has been openly discussed within the community. An openness to enabling parents’ involvement in their children’s learning is evident.
The Gloriavale Community has a new Child Protection, Safety and Wellbeing Policy that applies to everyone in the community. It was very widely visible during the review. Significant work has been carried out to develop clear procedures and embed understanding across all members of the community. A range of externally provided and targeted learning programmes, with regular updates and reminders is in place.
A team of Child Protection Leaders have been appropriately vetted and trained to support and enact the policy. Child Protection Leaders provide oversight, and children and young people have a clear understanding of the support and advice available to them. The community is working with a range of external agencies to improve processes and responses to child protection, safety, and wellbeing concerns. These include initiatives and programmes for children and young people. This is a significant step for the community.
Opportunities have been provided for all parents to be involved in externally run parenting courses and the community is the early stages of developing better understandings of positive behaviour management strategies.
The parents and students spoken to within home-schooling and Te Kura schooling were familiar with the community’s Child Protection, Safety and Wellbeing Policy and its requirements. Students said they felt physically and emotionally safe in their place of study.
Within the school setting suitable policies and procedures are in place, however establishing consistent understanding and building teacher capability to implement positive behaviour management remain priorities. Through professional learning teachers are developing strategies to address a range of behavioural challenges, strengthen relationships and reduce bullying. Posters remind children about expected safety and ways in which they can express concerns about their own or others’ safety and wellbeing.
A systematic process for knowing about, monitoring, and reporting on young learners’ health, safety and wellbeing across the educational settings is not sufficiently evident.
That the Gloriavale community leaders:
ensure that the school meets its requirements for registration as a private school
urgently develop a long-term strategic plan for educational provision across the community that:
- ensures that all children up to the age of 16 are successfully engaged in meaningful learning programmes and pathways, have access to high quality teaching and learning and are progressing and achieving well
- includes how education provision will be monitored, evaluated and assurance provided to the community that all students are experiencing success
- considers externally led or supported provision
ensure that the Child Protection, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, and Health and Safety policies are well implemented and that the physical and emotional health and safety of all learners is closely, regularly, and sufficiently monitored across all schooling provision.
The Education Review Office will carry out another review of the Gloriavale Christian School within 12 months.
To fully evaluate the provision of home-schooling, ERO is likely to complete formal reviews of home-school programmes within a year of this report.
Shelley Booysen
Director of Schools
17 October 2023
Whether Gloriavale Christian School (1587) meets the criteria for registration as a private school, as set out in clause 2, Schedule 7 of the Education and Training Act 2020.
To sample a range of provision for children who are home-schooled that they are taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school for the purposes of section 38 of the Education and Training Act 2020, and as per bullet point five below.
To review the quality of supervision and support for students enrolled in Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura).
A particular focus on whether the registered school is a physically and emotionally safe place for students.
The provision for the physical and emotional safety of a sample of students while engaged in education in the Gloriavale Community home-schooled environment, and those students enrolled in Te Kura.
Any other matters that the team see relevant to the review.
ERO gathered evidence from the following sources:
meetings with Shepherds, school board members, the acting principals (past and present), teachers, parents, and students
documents that included school policies and procedures, school curriculum statement, teachers’ planning and recording, school board minutes and documents, school assessment documentation, home-schooling applications and individual planning, student work from all provisions, Awhina process documentation
sample visits to three home-schooled premises
interviews and a survey of samples of students studying through Te Kura and their parents
a survey of children in the school
classroom observations of teaching and learning
observations of premises and resourcing.
ERO reviews of private schools are significantly different in process and more limited in scope and reporting than those for state and state-integrated schools, focusing as they do on the Criteria for Registration set out in section 35C of the Education Act.
Section 35I of the Education Act 1989 requires the Education Review Office (ERO) to review private schools and to report to the Ministry of Education on whether each school meets the criteria for registration. The schools are privately owned and the legislative requirements are significantly different to those for state and state-integrated schools.
More information about ERO reviews of private schools can be found on ERO’s website www.ero.govt.nz/Reviews-Process.
The criteria for registration are that the school —
a) has premises that are suitable, as described in section 35D; and
b) usually provides tuition for 9 or more students who are of or over the age of 5 years but are under the age of 16 years; and
c) has staffing that is suitable to the age range and level of its students, the curriculum taught at the school, and the size of the school; and
d) has equipment that is suitable for the curriculum being delivered or to be delivered at the school; and
e) has a curriculum for teaching, learning, and assessment and makes details of the curriculum and its programme for delivery available for parents; and
f) has suitable tuition standards, as described in section 35F; and
g) has managers who are fit and proper persons (as described in section 35G) to be managers of a private school; and
h) is a physically and emotionally safe place for students.
When an ERO report identifies an area within the criteria for registration that is not meeting the criteria at the time of the ERO review, that will be reported, the Ministry will be informed and the Ministry will follow up the issue with the school.
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The school’s managers have attested that they comply with the provisions of section 35G in respect to their being fit and proper persons to manage the school.
A safe place is one in which risks to student safety are regularly assessed and evaluated with a view to eliminating, or at least reducing, harm. A safe place is one where clear policies exist and are acted upon to eliminate or minimise harm.
ERO’s judgement is based on the quality, intent and regular review of the school’s policies and procedures.
Please refer to conclusion below.
Gloriavale Christian School is in a remote area of the west coast of the South Island, approximately 60 kilometres east of Greymouth. It is owned by the Gloriavale Trust Board and is an integral part of the Gloriavale community. The Community Management Board upholds the community’s values. Both boards are involved in governance of the school.
The close relationships between the two boards and the community mean that decisions about school operations have, historically, been determined through discussion. School leaders are aware of the need to have written policies and procedures that are regularly reviewed. At the time of this review, several new documents had yet to be widely shared amongst staff.
At the time of the onsite phase of the review, ERO considered that Gloriavale Christian School did not meet aspects of one of the criteria for registration as a private school set out in the Education Act 1989. ERO identified that the school did not have regularly reviewed policies and procedures in areas related to the provision of a physically and emotionally safe place for students (as required in criteria h), above).
In order to address those aspects and provide a sound basis for policy review school leaders need to:
Since the onsite phase of the review, school leaders have provided evidence to show that those aspects identified for improvement (as above) have been addressed. The school is now meeting registration requirements.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
19 June 2020