The general aim of education is to contribute towards the development of all aspects of the individual, including the aesthetic, creative, cultural, emotional, intellectual, moral, physical, political, religious, social and spiritual development, for personal and family life, for living in the community, and for leisure.
Commitment to education in the area of personal and social development arises out of this holistic aim of education and its underlying vision of the person. Such a commitment also emerges from a holistic vision of healthone that encompasses all the dimensions of life, including the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental, and the complex interplay between these dimensions which contributes to personal well-being and to positive inter-personal relationships.
Out of this holistic vision of the person, which is at the heart of our understanding of education and health, emerges a growing recognition that the social, personal and health education offered to our young people is as important as any other area of the curriculum. Just as support for personal and social development contributes to self-fulfilment, it is also a prerequisite for successful learning; a young person who has a high degree of self-worth, a sense of security and a positive self-image will be more predisposed to school life and to the variety of learning situations it offers. He/she will be aware of the relationship between life-style, environment and health and well-being and conscious of the challenge to support personal, family and policy choices that promote health, in all its dimensions.
Social, personal and health education (SPHE) provides students with a unique opportunity to develop the skills and competence to learn about themselves and to care for themselves and others and to make informed decisions about their health, personal lives, and social development. All these decisions must be made in the context of the wider community. Support from the Board of Management, from the wider community and in particular from parents will be necessary for the successful implementation of a school's programme of SPHE. With such support, students can be enabled to participate as active and responsible adults in the personal and social dimensions of society and to make responsible decisions that respect their own dignity and the dignity of others.