Services academies

The purpose of a services academy is to:

encourage students to stay engaged in learning by providing a motivating and disciplined programme;

help students to gain improved qualifications and help them prepare to move successfully into the workforce or further education and training.

Target student group

The target student group is year 12 and 13 students (in particular Māori and Pasifika boys) who are at risk of disengaging or have disengaged from school. Schools will also be able to enrol students in year 11 who would benefit from a military-focused programme. Students will be enrolled as full-time students in the Services Academy schools.

Funding

Schools who are operating Services' Academies will receive a grant of $90,000 each year to support the Services Academy. This funding is to:

employ an Academy Director to run the Academy. The Academy Director will be employed by the school Board and report to the Principal;

cover costs of uniforms, travel to courses and purchasing additional courses for students.

In addition to the school funding, the Ministry of Education contracts the New Zealand Defence Force to provide courses for Services Academy students.

Programme

Each services academy will offer around 20 students a twelve-month programme. Students will be expected to:

• 
  work towards NCEA Level 2 and attain a minimum of NCEA Level 1 Literacy and Numeracy, as well as other credits from the National Qualifications Framework appropriate to their interests and career choices;
• participate in a range of motivating and challenging learning experiences provided in association with the New Zealand Defence Force's youth development unit. These include a two week induction course, a leadership course and advanced leadership course, a coast to coast course and other outdoor based activities.

Services academy schools

The following is a list of schools that currently operate services academies:

Aurora College	Invercargill
Flaxmere College	Hastings
Gisborne Girls’ High School	Gisborne
Glenfield College	Auckland (Northshore)
Greymouth High School	Greymouth
Haeata Community College	Christchurch
Horowhenua College	Levin
Huntly College	Huntly
James Cook High School	Auckland
Kaitaia College	Kaitaia
Kelston Boys’ High School	Auckland
Murupara Area School	Murupara
Northland College	Northland
Trident High School	Whakatane
Makoura College	Masterton
Mana College	Porirua
Naenae College	Lower Hutt
Onehunga High School	Auckland
Otahuhu College	Auckland
Queen Elizabeth College	Palmerston North
St Paul’s College	Auckland
Tamaki College	Auckland
Tangaroa College	Auckland
Tikipunga High School	Whangarei
Tokoroa High School	Tokoroa
Tongariro School	Turangi
Wairoa College	Wairoa
Waitakere College	Waitakere
Whanganui City College	Whanganui

For more information about joining a service academy, please contact the schools directly.

For more information about service academies in general, please email service.academies@education.govt.nz .