A Partnership Approach to Health and Wellbeing in Schools

1. @EUCHRODISplus
A Partnership Approach to Health and Wellbeing in Schools
#CHRODISplus www.chrodis.eu
Rita Sexton, Department of Education & Skills
06.06.2018

2. Health & Wellbeing
School Curriculum

3. Primary School Curriculum
The curriculum is divided in 7 areas:
1) Language: (Irish and English)
2) Mathematics
3) Social, environmental and scientific education (SESE): history,
geography and science
4) Arts education: visual arts, music and drama
5) Physical education
6) Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)
7) Religious or ethical education
www.chrodis.eu

4. Primary School Curriculum
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) - 30 minutes per week
The curriculum consists of three strands:
1. Myself (food, keeping healthy, good hygiene)
2. Myself and others (family structures, different cultures)
3. Myself and the wider world (care for the environment, poverty,
citizenship)
www.chrodis.eu

5. Primary School Curriculum
Physical Education – 1 hour per week
6 strands
1) Athletics
2) Dance
3) Gymnastics
4) Games
5) Outdoor and adventure activities
6) Aquatics
www.chrodis.eu

6. Post Primary School Curriculum – Junior Cycle
Junior Cycle Framework 2015
•The need to recognise a wide range of learning
•Reduce the focus on one terminal examination
•Increase the focus on classroom-based assessment
•Parents/guardians and students to get a broader picture of students’
learning
• Provides for a new area of learning called ‘wellbeing’.
www.chrodis.eu

7. Post Primary School Curriculum – Junior Cycle
• Wellbeing Programme makes the school’s commitment to wellbeing
visible to students
• 4 aspects of wellbeing in schools
i. Culture
ii. Curriculum
iii. Relationships
iv. Policy & Planning
www.chrodis.eu

8. Post Primary School Curriculum – Senior Cycle
• SPHE - optional at Senior Cycle
• Physical Education
• Leaving Certificate Physical Education will be offered as a full
examinable subject
• Senior Cycle Physical Education framework to provide schools with
a framework within which they can design a Physical Education
programme for those students who do not choose to take Physical
Education as an exam subject
www.chrodis.eu

9. Partnerships
- Cross Departmental working
• National Physical Activity Plan 2016
• A Healthy Weight for Ireland – Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016
-2025
• National Drugs Strategy 2017 - 2025
• Co-operation on specific issues such as healthy lifestyle guidance
for schools, Active School Flag Initiative, Active School week,
Concussion in sport
- Schools’ efforts to promote healthy Ireland agenda must be
complemented by wider society
www.chrodis.eu

10. The Joint Action on Implementing good practices for chronic diseases
(CHRODIS PLUS)
This presentation arises from the Joint Action CHRODIS PLUS. This Joint Action is addressing chronic diseases through cross-national
initiatives identified in JA-CHRODIS to reduce the burden of chronic diseases while assuring health system sustainability and
responsiveness, under the framework of the Third Health Programme (2014-2020). Sole responsibility lies with the author and the
Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of in the information
contained therein.
@EUCHRODISplus #CHRODISplus www.chrodis.eu