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. It helps them to make informed decisions about their health, personal lives and social development.

 

Aims of SPHE

Building on the aims of SPHE in primary school, at post-primary level SPHE aims to:

• Enable students to develop personal and social skills
• Promote self-esteem and self-confidence
• Enable students to develop a framework for responsible decision-making
• Provide opportunities for reflection and discussion
• Promote physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing

 

How SPHE links with the school ethos of St Angela’s College

St Angela’s College ethos of courtesy, kindness and respect aims to ensure that every pupil receives the best education in a calm, caring environment. Through the delivery of the SPHE curriculum students are equipped with the skills to develop positive self-esteem, mutual respect, a sense of justice and to care for others.

 

SPHE class organisation, timetabling and teaching in Junior Cycle

The recommended time allocation for SPHE is 100 hours across the three years of junior cycle. In St. Angela’s SPHE is taught for one period per week in First, Second and Third Year as part of the 400 hours Wellbeing curriculum for Junior Cycle.

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 4 strands, 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.

 

Outline of the content and teaching methods for the SPHE curriculum in Junior Cycle.

• Strand 1: Understanding Myself and Others
• Strand 2: Making Healthy Choices
• Strand 3: Relationships and Sexuality
• Strand 4: Emotional Wellbeing

 

SPHE class organisation, timetabling and teaching in Senior Cycle

Transition Year students are timetabled for one period (40 mins.) of SPHE per week for the full academic year.

5th Year students are timetabled for two periods (80 mins.) of SPHE per week for one term of the academic year.

6th Year students are timetabled for one period (40 mins.) of SPHE per week for the full academic year.

 

Outline of the content and teaching methods for the SPHE curriculum in Senior Cycle.

• Gender Studies
• Mental Health
• Physical Activity and Nutrition
• RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education)
• Substance Use