Abstract: This article looks at the practicalities of implementing the health promoting school (HPS)
framework, including conducting a whole school audit, to enable a primary school to successfully
adopt the HPS principles. A partnership agreement was signed, between EACH Social and Community
Health which is a local Community Health Centre and a primary school in the Eastern suburbs of
Melbourne, in Australia. An audit was conducted of the school community with four follow up focus
groups of students from grades 3 to 6. Qualitative data was gathered from 20 teachers at the school
at a professional development day facilitated by the health promotion staff of the Community Health
Centre. The results of the school audit identified that students in grades 3 to 6 and parents valued the
outside environment of the school most highly. The staff valued staff attributes most highly.
Suggestions from students to improve the school included improving the canteen and outside
environment. Staff were most concerned about fitness of both the staff and the students. Parents also
identified lack of healthy eating as a concern. The school community sees the value of adopting the
HPS framework, however on-going structured support is required if the school is to successfully
adopt the HPS approach. The school community needs to understand that the move toward cultural
and environmental change is slow. Successful adoption of the HPS model requires time and
collaboration. The emphasis needs to be on supporting teachers to change their school from within.
Relationships are important. (Global Health Promotion, 2012; 19(1): 23–31)