Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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745. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to specific proposals for a right to switch off for secondary school students given the increased communication from teachers to students via email; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12502/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department acknowledges that homework can play an important part in helping students to prepare for forthcoming classwork and in reinforcing work already covered during class time, however, it is a matter for each school, at local level, to arrive at its own homework policy which best serves the school community.

All policies and decisions regarding homework are school based where each school at local level develops their own homework policy, in the context of the legislative provision whereby management of schools is the responsibility of the boards of management. The development of school policies involves senior management and staff, the board of management, parents and in many instances, the learners themselves. The policy should give clarity to the whole school community about the purpose of the homework and what is expected at each class level.

There is no obligation on a school to have a published policy on homework, however having such a policy and reviewing it regularly would be considered to be good practice.

Currently the Department has no plans to formulate guidelines/policy on homework.

It is also worth noting that under the Teaching Councils Code of Professional Conduct. Teachers should always, communicate effectively with pupils/students, colleagues, parents, school management and others in the school community in a manner that is professional, collaborative and supportive, and based on trust and respect and should ensure that any communication with pupils/ students, colleagues, parents, school management and others is appropriate, including communication via electronic media, such as e-mail, texting and social networking sites. Full details on the Teachin Councils Code of Professional Conduct can be found at www.teachingcouncil.ie/fitness-to-teach/updated-code-of-professional-conduct/#standards-of-teaching-knowledge-skill-competence-and-conduct.

Contact regarding schoolwork outside of school hours, whether that is via email, or via any other medium, should be subject to the schools homework policy. Currently the Department is not considering any proposal on a right to switch off for secondary school students.

The wellbeing of all learners is a key priority of the Department of Education, as well as the empowerment of parents and school communities through education and information. The Departments approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice. This approach is founded on research and best international practice in relation to how schools can best support the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include:

• Providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to experience supportive relationships within the school setting and to learn through those relationships
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe, an environment in which children and young people feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, in which they feel their voice is heard, and they feel supported.
• Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of wellbeing and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs.

Additionally, my Department in partnership with Jigsaw have recently announced to school leaders details of Neart: the new national programme of mental health and wellbeing resources and training for post-primary schools. The new programme will complement the supports already available in schools such as the provision of guidance counselling and the work of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), as well as other existing wellbeing programmes and initiatives including Student Support Team training.

The NEART programme will provide supports to students, parents and school staff; the programme will, enhance the capacity of Student Support Teams to actively seek and respond to the voice of young people in relation to wellbeing and mental health in schoolsprovide learning opportunities for students that promote mental health and wellbeing.

My Department continues to review our overall approach to fostering good mental health and wellbeing in our schools so that children can be optimally supported to reach their potential.