Scoil Uí Mhuirí

Social, Personal and Health Education[As per SPHE support service - for more information click here]

Social, Personal and Health Education, as part of the curriculum, supports the personal development, health and well-being of young people and helps them create and maintain supportive relationships.Social, Personal and Health Education in Post-Primary schools is a programme for students in the Junior Cycle and builds on the experience of all children at Primary level.The recommended time allocation for SPHE is one class period per week or equivalent.

Through participating in the SPHE programme the young person will encounter a wide range of issues through a variety of learning experiences. These issues will be addressed in ten modules, each of which appears in each year of the three-year cycle. The emphasis will be on building skills, understanding, attitudes and values important in all these areas.The Education Act (1998) emphasises that schools should promote the social and personal development of students and provide health education for them.

The SPHE programme reflects the unique ethos of each school. The attitudes, skills and values fostered in the SPHE classroom can only truly flourish in a school where all members of the school community are treated with respect and dignity. A school climate which encourages open communication, where conflict is handled constructively and which promotes high standards in all its endeavours is an environment in which the core principles of SPHE can thrive. School policies and procedures which are regularly reviewed and evaluated are the foundations on which a healthy school can be built.

The ten modules are:
Belonging and Integrating
Self-management: A sense of purpose
Communication Skills
Physical Health
Friendships
Relationships and Sexuality
Emotional Health
Influences and Decisions
Substance Use
Personal Safety