The Education Review Office (ERO) says it launched a special review of Auckland’s embattled Wesley College due to “significant concerns” about the school and its hostels, and warns the college has a duty of care to ensure students are “physically and emotionally safe”.

The Methodist school, which champions the importance of learning institutions that are “real communities” with a “family feel”, has today broken its silence after allegations of violence against pupils and the appointment of a limited statutory manager (LSM).

Principal Brian Evans said the school’s trust board welcomed the support being provided “to assist us in our progress towards being an exemplary model of change”.

The Herald reported yesterday that the Ministry of Education had appointed Dr Shane Edwards as statutory manager after concerns emerged about violence and management of the school’s hostels.

The school’s hostel license was revoked in November for potential breaches of regulations – understood to relate to the “active supervision of boarders” – but had since been reinstated for five of its six hostels.

1News reported allegations of students receiving “coverings”, in which they were made to cover their faces before being punched, kicked and slapped by older students.

There were claims by students that it was normal to be assaulted by older students for making mistakes, with coverings occurring almost weekly.

In response to the concerns, ERO said it commissioned a special review of the college and its hostel operations. It had been working with the college since March last year and this process was still underway.

 “This special review has been initiated by the chief review officer as a result of the significant concerns that we have about the school and the hostel.

“The school board and hostel management of Wesley College have a duty of care to ensure all learners at the school and all boarders in the hostel are physically and emotionally safe.”

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ERO would not elaborate on its concerns, other than saying it may make recommendations to the ministry about the next steps for the school after its review.

In a statement on the school’s website, Evans says: “You always know your son or daughter is capable of great things. At Wesley College, we can take them beyond that to be among the best in the world. In the words of John Wesley, ‘Every child matters’.”

A trust board document relating to “abuse, harassment or neglect of boarders” says any report or suspicion that a boarder is experiencing abuse must be taken seriously.

The document says that, if the principal believes such abuse or neglect has occurred, written notice must be made within 24 hours to the child’s parents, Oranga Tamariki or police.

The Herald asked Evans how many written referrals had been made to police or Oranga Tamariki, whether any students had been suspended or expelled for violence, and what guarantees the school could give parents that students in its care were safe.

He provided a short statement that did not address the questions. It said ERO launched its special review after last year’s Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care and recent media coverage.

“ERO and the Ministry of Education (MOE) continue to work closely with the school.

“We welcome this support as we feel it will assist us in our progress towards being an exemplary model of change.”

Ministry of Education North leader Isabel Evans said the statutory manager could advise the board on the health and safety of staff and students, and help the school return to self-management once recommendations had been met.

She confirmed the ministry had received one complaint about bullying, which was forwarded to Wesley College for investigation.

In October, the Methodist Church told the royal commission it wanted to apologise unreservedly to historic abuse victims.

It acknowledged people who had suffered abuse in former children’s homes and other schools overseen by the Methodists.

The church admitted some children were horribly abused and neglected, and said 20 redress claims were being resolved.

Auckland Council Franklin ward councillor Andy Baker said he had heard of various issues at the school, just as he had at other schools over the years.

“Boarding schools (I went to one) always create more opportunities for things to go awry as you have young people in close quarters often left to their own devices.

“It appears the school is stepping up in terms of trying to address things, which I acknowledge. We cannot change what has happened, so it is heartening to see them taking steps to possibly learn from the past so those things are not repeated in the future.”