Ireland · NCCA Curriculum Specifications
1st Class Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE).
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) provides particular opportunities to foster the personal development, health, and well-being of the individual child. In First Class, children explore their own identity, learn to build positive relationships, and develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and their community.
01Myself
Children explore their unique traits, recognize their feelings, and begin to understand how to make simple choices.
Children identify their personal characteristics, strengths, and what makes them unique.
Children learn to name a variety of emotions and understand how feelings can affect their bodies and behavior.
Children explore the process of making simple decisions and understand that choices have consequences.
02Myself and Others
This unit focuses on building positive relationships with family and friends, and developing effective communication skills.
Children explore different types of families and the roles and responsibilities within their own family.
Children discuss the qualities of a good friend and learn how to treat others with respect and kindness.
Children practice active listening and learn how to express their thoughts clearly to others.
03Growing and Changing
Children investigate how they grow physically and emotionally, and learn essential safety rules.
Children recognize the physical and developmental changes that have occurred since they were babies.
Children identify situations that are safe and unsafe, and learn rules for personal safety at home and school.
Children learn about body boundaries and the importance of respecting their own and others' personal space.
04Health and Well-being
This unit encourages children to adopt healthy habits, focusing on nutrition, hygiene, and physical activity.
Children explore the food pyramid and understand the importance of a balanced diet for growth and energy.
Children learn daily routines for keeping their bodies clean and preventing the spread of germs.
Children discover the benefits of physical exercise and identify different ways to stay active every day.
05My Wider World
Children develop an awareness of their local community, media influences, and environmental care.
Children identify the people who live and work in their community and how they help each other.
Children learn about the importance of looking after their environment through recycling and reducing waste.
Children begin to explore different types of media and understand that not everything they see on screens is real.