SPHE & RSE

SPHE and RSE

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.

Our policy aims to ensure that it reflects the Mission Statement and the ethos of the school. SPHE is a programme for students in the Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle which builds on their experiences at Primary level. SPHE, as part of the curriculum, supports the personal, social and health development and well-being of young people and helps them create and maintain supportive relationships. The school’s vision of education is in line with this objective. The Education Act (1998) defines the school’s responsibility in those areas, a responsibility which has always been recognised by Ardscoil na Mara as is evidenced in the current provisions and structures within the school. However, we acknowledge that responsibility for the holistic development of the individual student is shared with the home, and that the work of the school is influenced by the cultural and social mores of the society and the times in which we live.

The SPHE programme in the school takes place within a Christian understanding of human development and sexuality and recognises the dignity of the individual. Topics on the curriculum are dealt with at a level appropriate to the age of the student and within a moral framework in keeping with the characteristic spirit of the school.

Please find our SPHE & RSE Policy below. We have also provided below a link to SPHE & RSE supports for parents.

SPHE & RSE POLICY

Parental Supports

• sexualwellbeing.ie have created a resource for parents that supports having the RSE conversations in the home as the primary educators. Making the Big Talk many small talks comes with nine support videos to equip parents as the primary educators.

• The NCCA have also created an Information for Parents leaflet in relation to the redeveloped JC SPHE specification.