Teaching Council investigates after principal resigns at Wallacetown School near Invercargill

The principal of Wallacetown School has resigned. Photo / Supplied

The Teaching Council is investigating a situation which has led to the sudden resignation of the principal of Wallacetown School, near Invercargill.

The council said it has received a notification relating to an "alleged incident" involving former principal Neville Hore.

'We are in the early stages of investigation," the council said.

"We are unable to provide further details on individual cases – the process is confidential and the council is subject to the Privacy Act."

School board of trustees chair Carl Stewart said the board told school parents in May that "there was a matter involving a staff member that was being investigated and that an acting principal would be put in place in the meantime".

"While we are unable to provide further details, we can confirm that the Ministry of Education were kept informed and we undertook all mandatory reporting required of us," he said.

"At all times we were guided by the NZ School Trustees Association to ensure that we met our employment and legal obligations, and were as transparent as possible with our community.

"On May 25 we informed the school community that Mr Hore had resigned."

Attempts to reach Hore today by the Herald were unsuccessful.

Ministry of Education deputy secretary Katrina Casey said "a concern was raised with the school's board, which led it to initiate an investigation".

"As is required when any alleged issue is raised about a person with a teaching registration, the board informed the Teaching Council."

Wallacetown School is a small decile 8 school with only 51 students on July 1, about 15km northwest of Invercargill.

Minutes of the board of trustees on the school's website do not record anything about Hore's departure in public business, but acting principal Lauren Wilson is reported to have told the board on May 27 that "staff are happy - getting back into the routines" and "parents seem happy and seeing their children settled".

The July 2 minutes recorded that two of the six elected parents' representatives on the board had resigned.

A school newsletter on June 24 said the board was advertising the principal's role in the Education Gazette on July 20.

Applications closed last Friday, August 21.