The cancellation of the school's registration was due to take effect today. Photo: RNZ / Jean Edwards
Gloriavale Christian School will remain open for now after its board sought a judicial review of the Ministry of Education's decision to cancel its registration as a private school.
The community was informed of the decision to cancel the school's registration last month.
The cancellation was due to take effect today.
However, Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid confirmed this afternoon the ministry had agreed to allow the school to remain open after the review was sought.
"Following an application by the board of Gloriavale Christian School, the High Court yesterday granted interim orders that the cancellation of the registration of the school should not take effect today," MacGregor-Reid said.
"In light of that, the parties have now agreed that the school should remain open pending the hearing of Gloriavale's application for judicial review of the secretary's deregistration decision, which the parties have agreed to progress expeditiously."
The ministry said it could not comment further as the matter was before the courts.
RNZ sought comment from the Gloriavale community, but it declined to comment at this time.
MacGregor-Reid wrote to the West Coast Christian community's private school in October, advising she was considering the cancelling its registration after a second failed Education Review Office audit in as many years.
July's ERO report found Gloriavale Christian School had not met three of eight registration criteria and was not a physically and emotionally safe space for students.
The ministry said last month that the school had provided insufficient evidence to assure the ministry it was consistently meeting all private school registration criteria and there was no evidence to suggest that it would be compliant with more time.
Education officials met with the school's board and parents last week.
It agreed to operate a Te Kura (former Correspondence School) in-person hub for term 1 and potentially into term 2 for former students of the school and was in the process of negotiating a Gloriavale Unit as part of an existing state school.
Parents are legally responsible for ensuring their children are enrolled in a registered school.
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