Social Personal and Health Education
Our Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) offer:
A new Social, Personal, and Health Education curriculum (SPHE) was introduced in September 2023 for all first-year students.
Over the three years of Junior Cycle (First - Third year) students learn a variety of skills. These include how to communicate respectfully and effectively, understand the importance of setting healthy boundaries, and recognising the effects of stress and how to manage it. They also learn about the dangers of alcohol, smoking, and other addictive substances.
SPHE offers a space to learn important skills and knowledge that help with their physical, emotional, and social wellbeing, both now and in the future. In paricticular in a world where young people are often exposed to distorted information online, the SPHE curriculum is designed to give students the tools to safely navigate these challenges.
The course focuses on teaching key personal development skills including self-awareness, self-management, making responsible decisions, understanding others, and building good relationships.
Outline of the content in Junior Cycle:
- Strand 1: Understanding Myself and Others
- Strand 2: Making Healthy Choices
- Strand 3: Relationships and Sexuality
- Strand 4: Emotional Wellbeing
A short leaflet guide to SPHE content for parents is available here:
Junior Cycle SPHE Information for Parents
Full guidance from the Department for Education, covering all aspects is available here:
gov.ie - Junior Cycle Social, Personal, and Health Education (SPHE) – information for parents and guardians
Note, the Senior Cycle SPHE programme is in development; the draft specification is here:
Senior Cycle Social, Personal and Health Education (...
RSE: Relationships and Sexual Education Programme
Our MSCC SPHE team oversee the delivery of our SPHE and our RSE curriculum. RSE stands for Relationships and Sexual Education Programme.
The programme is delivered to all classes in each year group and is delivered according to the age and stage of the child, so any content is appropriate for the child's stage of development. All SPHE teachers delivering the programme have continual professional development and plan collaboratively to ensure consistency. All students receive 6 lessons per year as per Department of Education Guidelines.
The content of the lessons will cover the following areas for each year group, with age appropriate topics
a) Human Growth and Development
More information on the units and what is covered is available here
b) Human Sexuality
More information on the units and what is covered is available here
c) Human Relationships
This programme is fully approved by the Department of Education and is an integral part of the SPHE (Social, Personal and Health Education).
Curriculum Information
Third Year Scheme of Work is available for parents to view here:
SPHE Third Year Scheme of Work
Finding out more
If you have any concerns or questions in relation to the SPHE, please feel free to contact the SPHE Coordinator at 01-4525788, dial 8 and leave a message. Alternatively, you can e mail me at keithmcclean@ddletb.ie. We will get back to you as soon as possible.