Positive Psychology in Education

Written By Gemma Hubert

A guide for school leaders and educators on how to use positive psychology principles in school to increase inclusion and belonging, written by GEC intern and PhD researcher, Niall Brenock (University of Kent).

What is Positive Psychology?

In education, we often talk about what needs to be improved — attainment, attendance, behaviour. But rarely do we start with what’s already strong. At the GEC, we believe that language shapes learning: when we describe young people in terms of what they can do, who they are, what their personal narrative is, we create the conditions for confidence, belonging, and growth. This is the foundation of a strengths-based approach.

Positive psychology isn’t about ignoring the challenges that students face; it’s about helping them see their own capacity to thrive despite them.

It shifts the conversation from “What’s wrong?” to “What’s working?” and from “How do we fix this?” to “How do we build on this?” By focusing on individual strengths, educators can spark resilience, nurture wellbeing, and foster the kind of optimism that fuels lifelong learning.

This philosophy sits at the heart of everything we do at the GEC. From the design of our Platform surveys and Kaleidoscopic Data insights to the training we deliver for schools and trusts, positive psychology has been a core pillar of our build. We’ve seen first-hand how focusing on strengths, not shortcomings, transforms engagement, unlocks potential, and empowers every learner — and educator — to feel seen, valued, and capable of success.

The Power of Positive Psychology

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living — focusing on strengths, values, and positive emotions such as hope, gratitude, and joy.

Rather than centring on what’s “broken” or needs to be corrected, positive psychology asks how individuals and communities can flourish. In schools, this means respecting and recognising every student’s capacity for growth and how we can help them to thrive - by focusing on what helps them build social capital, to feel purposeful, connected, and importantly confident.

As Martin Seligman, the founding father of positive psychology, reminds us 2009 paper that there is often a disconnect between what parents want for their children (happiness, kindness, satisfaction, etc.) and what schools aim to give their children (academic success, discipline, literacy). While the importance of the latter skills cannot be underestimated, they should not be the sole goals of a school.

Schools also, by their nature, are one of the main places students can learn the sort of ‘life skills’ parents want for their children. In surrounding students with same-age peers, schools offer a place for children to learn kindness and inclusion and in surrounding students with trusted adults whose goal is to guide and educate them, schools can also, in theory, offer a place for students to gain happiness and confidence.

One of the most promising ways for schools to make this a reality is through the use of positive psychology. Positive psychology is often used to empower students by focusing on their strengths rather than their shortcomings. When done right, it can not only improve student happiness and wellbeing but can also foster resilience and help students to establish coping strategies to deal with challenges to their mental health.

How Can Positive Psychology be Implemented in Schools? 

Conveniently, implementing positive psychology within the classroom does not require expensive interventions. The British Psychological Society (BPS) outline in their Teachers Toolkit some of the simple ways teachers can incorporate positive psychology within the classroom. Straightforward actions such rephrasing what they say, for example asking students to discuss one positive thing that they have achieved in the past week which they are proud of or establishing student nominations (e.g., student of the week/term) can be effective ways of enhancing students’ self-confidence, self-efficacy, and general happiness in school.

Similarly, as noted by PositivePsychology, introducing gratitude practices into their sessions wherein students list some of the things that they were grateful for that day can be another simple yet powerful way of improving student happiness. Additionally, building in sessions teaching students how to deal with anxiety or manage exam stress can be extremely helpful in improving student mental health.  

The BPS encourages the use of positive psychology within the classroom.

‘Praise Will Raise’ - Positive Language Within the Classroom 

Among the most powerful ways of introducing positive psychology into the classroom is through positive language. In their Teachers Toolkit, the BPS encourages the frequent use of praise and positive feedback. While constructive criticism is vital for helping student to flourish in terms of their academic skills, it should be paired with an acknowledgement of what the student did well or where they have improved compared to last time.

Often, praise can be reserved for only those who, for example, scored the highest marks on an exam or those whose behaviour was exemplary (academic - think Bloom here). However, this can overlook the strides made by a student who, for example, scored 70% in a subject where historically they have usually scored around 50% or a student with a history of absence who has not missed a day over the past fortnight. Naming progress, as Responsive Classroom put it in their article on positive psychology in schools, can motivate students by letting them know that they are on the right path and that the adults around them acknowledge and appreciate this.  

This asset-based language is intended to replace the older model of deficit-based language which has traditionally been employed in schools. Rather than taking an intersectional approach to student learning, deficit-based language typically frames low academic achievement, particularly that of SEND students, students from ethnic minority backgrounds, or students from low-income families as being an issue of motivation or ability rather than a systemic problem. Additionally, deficit-based language tends to focus on what’s wrong with young people or what they are lacking rather than the more positive psychology-oriented asset-based approach of focusing on strengths and improvements. Deficit-based language can be stigmatising, hurtful, or can cause students to feel as though they are being ‘othered’. It runs directly contrary to the positive language approach which helps children to bear in mind their strengths and when they are on the right path (also think Maslow here).

A recent paper from Ian Cushing succinctly outlines why deficit-based language has become so prevalent, not just in the United Kingdom, but in the West more generally. It gets its roots from European colonialism and the centring of certain European standards as inherently correct and evolved throughout the 1900s into a more culturally based phenomenon which blames marginalised groups and individuals within those groups for their perceived flaws. Only in more recent times, particularly in the advent of positive psychology has there been a pushback against deficit-based approaches to education and to labelling students in favour of the more positive strengths-based approach endorsed throughout this piece. 

At the GEC, we are committed to using (and empowering schools to use) positive psychology to create positive inclusive cultures.

Integrated Comprehensive Systems for Equity provide a comprehensive guide for how to avoid deficit-based language in favour of more positive asset-based language. For example, they emphasise the importance of person-first language, particularly as it relates to SEND pupils. Instead of ‘slow learner’, a term such as ‘person with cognitive impairment’ is preferred and likewise ‘person with a disability´ is preferable to ‘disabled person’.

This avoids centring the disability or impairment as the defining aspect of the person in question and instead frames it simply as something that ‘comes with’ them. When deficit-based language is used, it can affect not just the students, but also parents and carers, as seen in this blog post from Amy Julia Becker. When schools or teachers use deficit-based language to describe their children, parents are left with a demoralising list of the things that their child can’t do rather than a more nuanced view which would also incorporate their child’s unique abilities.  

When deficit language is avoided in favour of inclusive, strengths-based language, it can promote greater enjoyment of school. For example, in this study of autistic students, subjects which emphasised students’ strengths and special interests were generally considered more enjoyable and more meaningful. However, there was a general consensus that schools did not focus enough on strengths-based career guidance which led to anxiety about their futures. Likewise, another study found that parents of autistic students generally feel that strength-based approaches effectively build up their children’s confidence and self-efficacy and noted that such approaches could also allow their children to support themselves in the future. There are of course various other groups of children who can benefit from more positive and inclusive language in school, such as ethnic minority groups being referred to as Global Majority or students being referred to with gender-neutral words such as ‘folks’ to accommodate gender-nonconforming students. Notably, one group who often get overlooked in this discussion are those who speak English as an alternative language. Often, rather than focusing on the fact that these students are multilingual and are successfully adopting a second or even third language, educators sometimes say that these students ‘lack vocabulary’ or suffer from a ‘word gap’. Such language neglects these students’ skills and as such, fails to capture their actual language abilities.  

The Development is in the Details 

Importantly, when students are praised, it should be in specific terms rather than a general compliment. Telling a student who has disrupted class frequently in the past “I am proud of you for not speaking out of turn today” is often more effective and more concrete than simply saying “You were well behaved today”. From PositivePsychology to Response Classroom to PBIS Rewards, it is roundly agreed to that students gain much more from specific, clear, actionable feedback than vague platitudes. As PBIS Rewards put it, positive language puts the focus on the efforts and progress of students more than just simply looking at their outcomes. For such a simple change, it can be a great way of reinforcing good behaviour. A student who knows exactly why they have been praised will have much more clarity on what kind of behaviour is desired of them. This could help to reinforce positive behaviours and let students know that you are taking the time to actively notice what they are doing well and where they are progressing in a way which indirect compliments like “Good work” or “Well done” often do not. 

Making the Positives Outweigh the Negatives 

Lastly, schools can implement positive psychology and, in particular, positive language, within the classroom by teaching students how to manage negative thoughts. Even the most positive of positive psychologists would acknowledge that the occasional negative thought is inevitable! But teaching students how to deal with these thoughts is important for building their resilience and developing appropriate coping strategies. As noted by groups such as the BPS or WorthIt, one of the most effective strategies is to teach students how to reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. Rather than looking at where they fell short in a particular task, encourage them to think about what lessons they have learned for the future and rather than being anxious about an upcoming test, empower them to consider the steps they could take to improve their performance.  

An example (referred to below) from our Guide to Consent of how to help young people turn negatives into positives - by encouraging them to handle rejection well and appreciate it as having provided a safe space for the other person to say no.

Positive Psychology and the GEC 

At the GEC, positive psychology isn’t a bolt-on — it’s embedded in everything we do. From the language we use in our resources to the way we design our surveys, insights, and training, we always start from a place of strengths. We believe that every learner, educator, and parent has the capacity to grow, connect, and contribute — and that our role is to help them see and build on that potential.

This philosophy underpins all our guidance for schools, trusts, and families. In our GEC Playbook for Consent, for example, we encourage parents and carers to keep conversations open, supportive, and shame-free — helping young people to ask questions about their bodies with confidence and curiosity, not fear or embarrassment. By modelling calm, non-judgmental communication, adults reinforce a powerful message: that curiosity is healthy, and that boundaries and respect go hand-in-hand.

In keeping with our focus on reframing challenges, we also offer advice on how to turn moments of rejection into opportunities for growth. In the same guide, we suggest helping children see that a “no” isn’t a personal failure, but rather a sign that someone felt comfortable enough to be honest. This simple reframing supports emotional literacy and resilience — both key outcomes of a positive psychology approach.

Similarly, our GEC Playbook for Feelings encourages parents and carers to celebrate progress over perfection. By praising effort, persistence, and problem-solving rather than flawless outcomes, adults can help children develop a growth mindset and reduce fear of failure. This echoes one of the central ideas in positive psychology: that happiness and achievement are built not on the absence of mistakes, but on the ability to learn, adapt, and keep going.

Across our community — from the GEC Circle to the schools using our Platform — we see the same principle in action. When we use positive, inclusive language and focus on strengths rather than shortcomings, we empower both adults and young people to flourish. That’s the power of positive psychology — not just as an academic framework, but as a lived, everyday practice for intentional inclusion.

An example from the GEC’s Guide to Feelings of how we always both use, and encourage the use of, positive language.

Given how easily implemented and inexpensive these methods are, consider implementing them in your school! 

Let’s Build Belonging Together

At the GEC, we know that creating inclusive schools isn’t just about data or policies — it’s about people. It’s about the words we use, the strengths we see, and the relationships we build. When schools embrace positive psychology, they don’t just improve wellbeing — they lay the foundations for belonging, resilience, and real change.

Every young person deserves to feel that their voice matters and that who they are is seen as a strength. Every educator deserves the tools and confidence to make that happen. Together, we can shift the culture from focusing on deficits to celebrating potential — from fitting in to belonging.

If this piece has inspired you to explore how positive psychology can help your school or trust build a stronger, more inclusive culture, we’d love to work with you.

✨ Explore with us:

Let’s design inclusion through strength, kindness, and evidence — together.

Gemma Hubert
Next

GEC Response to the Curriculum & Assessment Review: A Step Forward – But Who Gets to Move Forward With It?