Empowering the Next Generation of
Entrepreneurs Artists Innovators Engineers Global Citizens
Important Announcement:
Kia ora,
It is with a heavy heart, but also with immense pride in all that we have achieved together, that we must inform you that the Liger Leadership Academy NZ will be closing its doors to new enrolments.
Since 2021, Liger Leadership Academy has had the privilege of providing a unique, innovative, and impactful education for young people in Queenstown. We have been consistently inspired by our students’ passion, creativity, and their commitment to becoming agents of change. The Liger model, focused on opportunity-based learning, real-world projects, and deep community engagement, has fostered incredible growth and created lasting memories and positive impact for our students and community.
This decision has been incredibly difficult and was made after careful consideration of long-term financial sustainability. While the spirit and successes of our educational approach have been undeniable, ensuring the Academy’s viability as a tuition-based independent school in the current landscape has presented too many challenges to continue.
Liger Leadership Academy NZ may be closing, but the impact of its students, the dedication of our staff, and the support of its community will be felt for years to come. A special thank you to our Liger family, all the guests, supporters, staff, and volunteers – thank you for being part of our journey.
With sincere gratitude,
The Leadership and Board of Liger Leadership Academy NZ
We are not just preparing students for the future,
we are inspiring them to shape it.
Liger Leadership Academy is a secondary school located in Queenstown, NZ.
As a school, we believe that the purpose of education is to prepare young people for the future. Liger was founded as a direct educational response to the reality that the world around us is not changing incrementally; it is changing exponentially. In order to prepare our learners for this ever-changing world, our model emphasises the development of skills needed to adapt and thrive through a unified educational foundation and tailored project-based learning experiences.
Our Model
First designed in 2011, the Liger Learning Model has evolved over the last decade + to balance an innovative “Essentials” curriculum (science, technology, engineering, the arts, mathematics, communication, entrepreneurship, physical education, etc.) and our unique project based learning experiences, or “Explorations” where students tackle real-world challenges as a group, achieving actual social and environmental interaction and impact.
Here in Aotearoa, we have incorporated the Liger model into New Zealand’s NCEA (National Certification of Educational Achievement). Being located in Queenstown, we are also fortunate to have an immensely supportive community of local expertise, whom we regularly involve in all aspects of learning at the Academy.
By blending core subjects with our advanced project- and experiential- based learning, we believe that the Academy is at the forefront of education.
Our Impact
My favorite thing about being a student at Liger is the feeling you get that nothing is impossible, the opportunity and exposure to work with community members and different experts really teaches and inspires me not only in school projects but my everyday life. I love the special community we have created at Liger. We encourage each other to learn, take risks, and work hard, making me feel like challenges and failure isn’t something to be scared of but something I can learn and grow from.
The learning that Liger offers aligns with what I want to do in the future. Learning about what makes an entrepreneur successful, how to create your own business and the ways that Artificial intelligence will impact the future is the type of education that I think everyone should be exposed to.
The change in the children is astounding. The way they’ve grown, and their enthusiasm. I’ve noticed they’re biting at the bit to get to school every day, they’re so excited to attend school. It’s incredible just how much they’re learning and how much they have learned in a short space of time.
We truly have a sense that the Liger facilitators know our child. I truly feel they have a sense of her needs, her personality, her strengths, and those things that she may need help with. It’s the first time we feel a schooling system has known that.
I love Liger learning because students can explore their passions, create impact and benefit the community around them. Everyday when I come into Liger I am blown away by the supportive community and the level of determination and stewardship that everyone puts into their learning.
Not only do we take opportunities, we create them – allowing us to find our interests and create a positive impact. Learning about careers and future pathways is super easy because we go and experience them ourselves. We get to use the environment around us to learn more about the world around us. Whatever you want to do, at Liger we find a way to do it because we embody “think outside the box” every single day.
My son is loving Liger. He’s made some really good relationships with his teachers and the students. Being a smaller school, you can get more of a connection with everyone. He definitely seems a lot more independent and more engaged in his education. When he comes home from school, he tells me about his day, what he’s been up to and what his projects are.
I like the way Liger teaches the kids to communicate and present their projects, which is what you need in the wider world. Liger are really good at teaching real life skills. My son has become really good at communicating and relaying back what he’s learned. I’ve been blown away with how amazing the school is.
Liger has high expectations for their learners, but it’s about reaching your full potential and being the best that you can be personally. It’s not being the best in the community, or the best in your year or the best academically, it’s just being the best person that you can be. And I think that’s what each person should strive to do.
Liger Pathways
Liger Leadership Academy New Zealand is and registered by the Ministry of Education to operate as a secondary school in New Zealand. We are authorised by the NZ Qualifications Authority to assess and award NCEA standards, in addition to a Liger Diploma, graduates will earn a University Entrance qualification.
NCEA is a widely accepted qualification accepted in universities globally including the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In addition, Liger’s individual learning pathways can be tailored to prepare students for their personal desired future.