The Ministry of Education will intervene at Waitaki Boys' High School after a second damning report into the way the school is being run.
It will either appoint a statutory manager, leaving the board of trustees in place, or replace the board with a commissioner. These are the highest levels of intervention under the Education Act.
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The trigger has been a report - leaked to the Otago Daily Times - prepared at the board's request by former Waitaki mayor Alan McLay and former John McGlashan College principal Michael Corkery.
It says the school is ''at considerable risk'' because of issues it faces.
It casts doubt this will change with the present board and senior management in place.
The McLay-Corkery report comes after another by Dunedin education consultant Cleave Hay in June. It was also commissioned by the board, after complaints and concerns to the ministry. It had similar findings.
The board appointed Mr McLay and Mr Corkery to determine whether there was substance to the Hay report.
A copy of the McLay-Corkery report was sent to the ministry late on Monday and its head of sector enablement and support, Katrina Casey, said, when approached yesterday: ''We are very concerned and disappointed by its findings.''
In August, the ministry wanted to give the board time to take action on addressing the ''significant issues'' raised by Mr Hay's report.
The McLay-Corkery report concluded governance of the school was a key part of its problems.
''We want to ensure that Waitaki Boys' once more becomes a positive environment for students and teachers.
''Accordingly, we will be intervening at the school,'' Ms Casey said.
The ministry was still considering the level of statutory intervention, and would inform the board of its decision at a meeting on Monday night.
''We have always been clear the end of September was a critical time before which we expected considerable progress to have been made,'' she said.
''We are very clear now that an intervention is definitely needed,'' Ms Casey said.
The ministry had received a request from the board for assistance, and would consider that as part of its decision-making.
Board chairman Garry McLeod was disappointed what was a confidential report had been released. Following a board meeting at the weekend, it had decided to request support from the ministry under the heading of ''communications and relationships''.
Asked if the board also considered resigning, Mr McLeod said it ''looked at all options'', but did not want to go in to detail.
The request to the ministry for assistance related to employment and employment-related matters, communication and relationships (especially around staff management style and practices), relationships with staff as a result of management practices and to review human resources policies, procedures and systems.
The board also wanted ongoing support in relation to its governance structure, processes and communications.
''Our commitment as a board remains the education of the boys at Waitaki Boys' High School,'' he said
