St Matthew's Collegiate (Masterton)

This school has, in my experience, a deeply concerning culture where serious issues are often ignored and covered up rather than addressed. There appears to be a pattern of poor governance, a lack of transparency, and conflicts of interest that undermine confidence in the school's leadership.

Bullying by students, and at times a lack of appropriate intervention by staff and management, left many students feeling unsupported. Rather than confronting ongoing concerns, the school seemed to rely on families eventually withdrawing their daughters instead of taking meaningful action to resolve the problems. This has, in my view, contributed to a growing loss of trust within the wider community.

The one exception is the Senior College at Rathkeale. The teachers there deserve recognition for the care and support they provide to many girls entering Year 12 after difficult experiences. Their commitment helps rebuild confidence and wellbeing where it has been damaged.

Based on my experience, I would never recommend this school. I would strongly encourage parents to carefully consider whether the environment and leadershipof this nature are what they want for their child.