The school in this research study is co-educational, mainstream and includes all children; there are no separate classes for children with challenging behaviours. The school had previously embarked on curriculum reform and was endeavoring to ‘practice what they preach’ (school principal, personal communication) by looking for ways to facilitate both high achievement and considerate behaviour, nurturing emotional needs, curiosity about learning and communication to solve problems (Porter 2007). The humanistic philosophy of HOM was seen as a way to connect to and practise the guiding values expressed in the school’s 2009 vision and mission statements: nourishing spirituality in the journey of learning; nurturing authentic relationships to connect with the wider community; and striving to reach potential by being the best that we can be each day.