Mindfulness in Schools: What Local Programs Are Available

More than 20 public schools across metropolitan Perth have introduced mindfulness activities into their daily routine this year, aiming to help students manage stress, anxiety and focus issues, according to the Department of Education WA.

The rollout comes as student mental health is again making headlines in Western Australia. Kids Helpline received a record 14,000 calls from young people in the state between January and May 2026, a 12% rise on the same period last year. School principals across Perth suburbs, including Mount Hawthorn and Balga, say they’re seeing more frequent requests for support around anxiety, bullying and social pressures than ever before.

Mindfulness Programs from Subiaco to Cannington

One of the best-established local programs is Mindful Medleys, running weekly at Subiaco Primary on Bagot Road since Term 1. Every Friday morning, students from Years 2 to 6 gather for guided breathing, movement and imaginative visualisation exercises—part of a curriculum designed by the Perth Mindfulness Centre in Leederville. Participation is covered in the school’s activity fee, which is around $55 per semester.

South of the river, Cannington Community College on Liege Street has launched a pilot program in partnership with Mindful Schools WA, offering year-long classroom workshops and short daily practices. All 23 classrooms have access to a five-minute guided listening exercise after lunch breaks. Meanwhile, John Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle integrated mindfulness breaks and compassion meditation into its Year 7 health lessons this semester, responding to student input through its wellbeing council.

Trained facilitators, sometimes former teachers themselves, guide the sessions. Schools say they see the biggest uptake after NAPLAN or at the close of term, when pressures spike. According to Dr. Emily Harris, an educational psychologist with family therapy practice on Rokeby Road, "structured, school-based mindfulness can improve students’ concentration and emotional regulation, though not every child will engage the same way." While no single approach fits all, the range of local offerings means families from Scarborough to South Perth can find something to fit their school’s ethos and their child’s needs.

The Evidence and Who Pays

Nationally, Mindful Schools WA reports doubling its enrolments in the last two years. Locally, the Department of Education says one in six public schools in the inner metro zone now offer some form of mindfulness-based intervention. Statewide, Wellbeing in Schools Australia found in its 2025 survey that 68% of Perth principals believe mindfulness programs had a positive impact on student behaviour and self-regulation. Costs for in-school workshops vary from $450 to $950 per term for a series of in-person workshops, typically financed by P&C fundraising or the school’s wellbeing budget line.

Schools also report that after implementing their programs, absentee rates related to stress or headaches have dropped by up to 9%. While data is preliminary, early feedback is encouraging. National evidence is also strong; a 2024 Australian Institute of Family Studies report found mindfulness programs in primary schools reduced self-reported anxiety by up to 20% over six months.

Families interested in mindfulness options can ask their school’s deputy principal about what’s on offer, or explore Perth Mindfulness Centre’s school holiday sessions at Kings Park Education or workshops with Mindful Impact based in North Perth. For parents, the Mindful Schools WA website lists resources and several schools offering open afternoons for families to try a session. As schools continue to grapple with student stress and social pressures, mindfulness remains on the table as a low-risk, increasingly accessible tool—one that many in Perth’s education sector say is here to stay.