PERMA Framework

At Oakleigh Primary School and Kindergarten, we are committed to supporting every student to flourish. Flourishing is understood as a balance of feeling good and doing well, where students develop both wellbeing and the skills to thrive in their learning and lives.

Our approach to Positive Education focuses on the explicit teaching of skills that support students to build respectful relationships, experience positive emotions, practise mindfulness, and develop resilience and perseverance. We also aim to foster engagement in learning, encourage a sense of achievement, and promote gratitude and healthy lifestyles. Through this, we equip students with the capabilities and dispositions needed to reach their full potential.

Positive Education is taught alongside the Respectful Relationships program, supporting students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for positive relationships and lifelong wellbeing. Central to this work is the development of a Growth Mindset. We encourage students to approach challenges with confidence, view effort as a pathway to success, and see mistakes as opportunities for learning. This mindset supports students to be adaptable, reflective and open to growth.

Our school values are closely aligned with the principles of Positive Education and are embedded in everyday practice across our learning community. These values are reflected through the PERMA framework:

Positive Emotion
We support students to develop optimism, resilience and emotional awareness. Students are encouraged to recognise and build on positive experiences, and to bounce back from challenges with confidence.

Engagement
Students are encouraged to use and strengthen their individual abilities and interests. Through meaningful learning experiences, they are supported to be fully involved and take pride in their efforts.

Relationships
We prioritise the development of respectful, supportive and inclusive relationships. Strong connections with peers, staff and the wider community are fundamental to student wellbeing.

Meaning
Students are supported to develop a sense of purpose and connection to something beyond themselves, including their role within the school and broader community.

Accomplishment
We encourage students to set goals, persevere and celebrate their progress. Developing a Growth Mindset supports students to strive for personal success and recognise their achievements.

 
“When we take time to notice the things that go right - it means we’re getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.”
— Martin Seligman

There are two types of mindsets we can cultivate. One that embraces problems as opportunities to learn, and one that avoids them, often out of fear to fail. People that avoid conflicts can be described as having a fixed mindset. Those who see problems as interesting challenges have a growth mindset.

Professor Martin Seligman outlines the meaning of PERMA as an acronym for psychological wellbeing.