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Children’s School Lives Study: Report 7

Children’s School Lives Study: Report 7

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SPHE

Illustration of a woman showing personal wellbeing by hugging her reflection

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

Teaching and learning within the SPHE curriculum is designed to be appropriate for the age and stage of development of students, whether in first year, second year or third year. This is based on research and the extensive public consultation.

Note: Students who started first year in September 2023 are the first cohort to study the 2023 specification.