In Australia, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of mental wellbeing and emotional resilience in students’ overall development. In response, the Smiling Mind Primary School Program was designed as a mindfulness-based social and emotional learning program for primary students in Years 1 to 6. This report presents a large-scale evaluation conducted independently by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) of the Smiling Mind Primary School Program.

The program was delivered in 461 primary schools in regional, rural, and disadvantaged communities across Australia. The evaluation covers the period from program launch in Term 1 2021, and finishes with data collected at the end of 2022. The evaluation uses a quasi-experimental design and draws on 1,864 surveys completed by school staff, and 3,319 surveys completed by students in years 3 to 6.

Findings indicated high degrees of acceptability, engagement and satisfaction among schools, with particularly positive effects on the wellbeing outcomes of Mindful Champions. Greater student engagement and approval of the program correlated with clearer wellbeing improvements, such as those extending the content beyond the classroom. Most students reported benefits in at least one aspect of wellbeing skills development. However, further research is needed to fully understand the program's impact. The Smiling Mind Primary Classroom program is a promising tool for promoting a balanced educational environment, especially for younger students in regional, rural, or disadvantaged communities across Australia.