Associate Education Minister David Seymour has announced that the New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa (NZPAA) will open in Term 1 2026 as a new charter school for athletes, offering students a pathway to balance academic study with elite sports training.
Based at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in Upper Hutt, the academy will begin with programmes in football—delivered in partnership with the Wellington Phoenix Football Academy—and rugby union, with more sports expected to be added in future. The facility will combine a nationally recognised curriculum with professional-level coaching, flexible scheduling, and support in areas such as leadership, mental health, and nutrition.
“Students will no longer have to sacrifice their education in pursuit of sporting dreams, or vice versa,” Seymour said, adding that the initiative embodies the charter school model of community-led innovation, flexibility, and accountability.
The NZPAA joins three other new charter schools announced last week, bringing the total to 15 nationwide. Seymour said more schools and conversions from state institutions are expected to be confirmed by year’s end, as part of the government’s ongoing expansion of the charter school system.
Image credit: Sandro Shuh
