The Gloriavale compound on the West Coast (File photo). Photo: RNZ / Jean Edwards
The Education Review Office (ERO) has put out a highly critical report on the Gloriavale Christian School, saying it is not providing an adequate education for a private school.
Gloriavale is an isolated Christian community on the West Coast, and its school has 139 enrolled students.
The report said recent court cases citing incidents of physical and sexual abuse of children within the Gloriavale community, findings about young people's employment status within the community, and the suitability of some school staffing had all impacted schooling since ERO's previous review.
The Chief Review Officer had decided to undertake a Special Review looking specifically at the quality of educational provision and support for all school-aged children in the Gloriavale community.
In its findings the ERO report on the school said it was not assured students were successfully engaged in meaningful learning programmes or pathways, and progressing and achieving well, or that their health and safety while accessing education was sufficiently well monitored.
It said ERO had determined the Gloriavale Christian School did not meet many of the criteria for registration as a private school.
"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."
The report said 26 students, almost 20 percent of the roll, were in what was called an Awhina Class, which meant they did no attend the school but instead were taught at home by their mothers.
It said these children were identified by the school and the parents as not meeting certain criteria for inclusion in the school setting and required a different approach because of a range of issues, including behaviour. The class was seen as a transition class, but in six months only five students had gone back to the classroom.
The report also raised concerns about the training of teachers. It said while all the teachers were registered they did not have teachers with suitable training for the age range and levels of students.
It said only two of the 10 teachers had school teaching qualifications and relevant experience. Eight out of the 10 teachers had Early Childhood Education qualifications.
The report called for follow up steps including an assessment by the Ministry of Education that all current school managers were "fit and proper persons", that the Awhina classes be stopped, that the school build learning conditions and teaching capability, and with urgency, build staff capability to monitor student wellbeing and manage challenging behaviour.
ERO said it would carry out another review of the Gloriavale Christian School within 12 months.
Gloriavale Christian School acting principal Harmony Helpful said it accepted and was supportive of the findings, and it also accepted it had a lot of work to do.