New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa, Trentham (Upper Hutt)

Key facts

About New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa

New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa (NZPAA) is a charter school designed for student-athletes seeking to pursue high-performance sport alongside nationally recognised academic qualifications. The school's model is built on the premise that students should not have to choose between competitive sport and academic achievement.

The school frames academic achievement, wellbeing, and character development as equal priorities alongside sport. Wellbeing — described using the concept of hauora — is treated as a structural component of the school's high-performance model rather than a supplementary concern. The school also draws on the concept of mauri (life force and inner vitality) as a basis for its approach to holistic student development.

Three values, expressed in te reo Māori, underpin the school's culture:

• Tuakiritanga — identity and belonging
• Whakaohooho — growth and aspiration
• Rangatiratanga — leadership and self-determination

The school states that its practice and relationships are underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a stated commitment to partnership, participation, and protection.

NZPAA's founding board includes figures from professional sport and education. Board members include a former General Manager of Wellington Phoenix, an educational consultant with a background in school leadership and initial teacher education, and a senior public servant with governance experience in national sport organisations.

Curriculum

New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa offers a curriculum for students in Years 11 to 13, aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum and leading to NCEA qualifications. Assessment standards are available across core learning areas, with applications to sport, performance, and wellbeing contexts. Each student follows a personalised academic plan covering both internal and external assessment standards, with an emphasis on external assessment.

The timetable includes designated Hāpai Āki blocks, which students use for gym sessions, specialised sports training, or study, depending on individual goals and commitments.

The named learning areas are:

• English
• Science
• Mathematics
• Social Sciences
• Languages
• Health & Physical Education
• The Arts

Co-curricular Activities and Sports

New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa offers the following named sports programmes and pathways:

• Football (Wellington Phoenix Academy) — delivered in partnership with Wellington Phoenix Academy coaches, covering technical development, match analysis, active recovery, and sports nutrition
• Football (other) — students can compete in College Sport Wellington competitions and national cup competitions through School Sport NZ
• Rugby Union — delivered by IRANZ (established 2001), covering technical skills, mindset, and leadership; connections with the Hurricanes / Poua for professional pathways
• Rugby League — students have represented Wellington Orcas at U16 and U18 level
• Basketball — coached by Terry Stallworth, with connections to clubs in the USA and Melbourne
• Softball — coached by Dr Lara Andrews, who sits on the board of Softball NZ
• Netball — coached by Anna Andrews-Tasola, current Central Pulse head coach
• Hockey — club pathways available in Wellington P1, P2, and P3 leagues