Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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134. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the roll-out of the well-being programme for junior cycle; if the programme will be in place for all students for September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26130/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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All schools will offer a well-being programme to those students  entering first year in September 2017. Well-being is built on a number of pillars, which include subjects already offered. These subjects include CSPE, PE and SPHE.  Schools have the flexibility to add other curricular subjects and initiatives to their well-being programme.  

This area of learning will make the school’s commitment to well-being visible to students. It will include learning opportunities to enhance the physical, mental, emotional and social well-being of students. It will enable students to build life skills and develop a strong sense of connectedness to their school and to their community.

Planning for well-being in schools involves consideration of four aspects;

(1) Culture

(2) Relationships

(3) Policy and planning

(4) The curriculum

As with all new subject specifications and programmes the development was informed by extensive consultation and engagement with stakeholders. 

The Junior Cycle Well-being programme will begin with 300 hours of timetabled engagement in 2017 and build up to 400 hours by 2020 as the new Junior Cycle is implemented fully in schools.

All the curriculum components of the Well-being curriculum provide opportunities for ongoing classroom based assessment and formative feedback. Reporting on students’ learning in Well-being happens in two different ways: reporting in first and second year, and reporting as part of the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) at the end of third year.