Transforming our schools together: A multi-school collaboration to implement positive education

Abstract

This chapter outlines the story of the decade-long collaboration by a cluster of low- to mid-SES state schools that implemented positive education and transformed their school cultures. In the process they developed more cohesive staff teams and supported leadership development at principal and teacher level, as well as enhancing student and teacher well-being. The Cluster schools embedded gratitude, strength spotting, and appreciative inquiry as core practices in their schools and introduced and developed programmes and activities aligned with positive education. Factors contributing to the success of this collaboration included the shared values of a leadership group committed to improving student flourishing, an inclusive and flexible approach to planning and implementation, and recognition of each school's particular context and priorities. This group of schools overcame numerous challenges providing evidence that low- to mid-SES schools can successfully collaborate to implement positive education with significant benefits for students and staff.