Junior Cycle Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a 100 hour short course. The course is designed to support schools in providing the required 100 hours of learning in SPHE which is a minimum requirement for all junior cycle short courses. 

Learning in SPHE aims to help students to

• build self-awareness and positive self-worth
• develop the knowledge, understanding, skills, dispositions and values that will support them to lead fulfilling and healthy lives
• feel empowered to create, nurture and maintain respectful and loving relationships with self and others
• enhance their capacity to contribute positively to society

The short course was first published in 2016 and was updated in 2023.

Note: Students starting first year in September 2023 will be studying the 2023 specification.