Gore school in limited statutory management

An unresolved employment issue has led to Gore Main School being placed under limited statutory management.

The Ministry of Education posted a Notice of Direction to Appoint a Limited Statutory Manager for the school’s board of trustees, dated January 10, on its website on Monday.

Ministry acting deputy secretary of education, sector enablement and support David Wales said: ‘‘We always work with schools to support them to resolve problems themselves, and only intervene as a last resort.

‘‘In this instance, we supported the board late last year to attempt to resolve an employment matter. These measures were not successful, and the board ultimately requested a limited statutory manager be appointed to help address the issues.’’

Wales confirmed Cleave Hay had been appointed, and that his first step would be to undertake a full scoping of the issues, then develop a plan to address them.

In the notice of direction, Wales says all functions, powers and duties, whether statutory or otherwise, of the board as an employer, to establish policies and procedures and to manage communications are to be vested in the limited statutory manager.

‘‘The board will retain its primary duty of care as a person conducting a business or undertaking, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, above and beyond all functions, powers and duties of the limited statutory manager.’’

The school, which teaches children in years one to six, has a roll of 220.

Its latest ERO report, in 2017, says the school’s achievement information had shown that over the previous three years, an increasing number of children achieved at National Standards. In 2016, at least 80 per cent achieved at or above the National Standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

However, ‘‘within the school, there is some disparity in achievement between different groups of children. For example, boys’ writing is lower than girls’, and achievement levels drop for some year groups’’.

‘‘Greater urgency is needed to lift the achievement of those Ma¯ori children who are below expected levels in literacy and mathematics. Leaders and teachers need to show what they will do differently for these children,’’ the report says.

It also said the school was entering a period of further change, with the return of its principal after 18 months’ leave. Trustees and leaders were improvement-focused and had a good understanding of effective governance and management.

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker said he would do whatever possible to support the school.

‘‘I have made contact with both the principal and chair of the board of trustees, offering them my support in this difficult time.’’

Walker was contacted by the ministry about the appointment yesterday. ‘‘Gore Main School is a fantastic school, and I have no doubt everyone involved will work through this to the best of their ability.’’

The school’s principal Mary Miller and board chairwoman Rebecca Moody were unable to be contacted for comment.

‘‘We always work with schools to support them to resolve problems themselves, and only intervene as a last resort’’ David Wales, Ministry of Education acting deputy secretary of education, sector enablement and support, pictured below.