The evolution of wellbeing in educational policy in Ireland: towards an interdisciplinary approach

Abstract

This paper examines how wellbeing has evolved in educational policy over the last decade in Ireland. The influence of the developments in national policy on wellbeing are also considered. While the concept of wellbeing is progressing in educational policy documents and becoming embedded in the language of the school community, a review of literature in the area highlights that it is difficult to define and to understand. Although wellbeing is a central theme in Early Years education and an area of learning in post-primary education for Junior Cycle in the Irish context, presently it can be regarded as implicit in the primary school curriculum rather than a defined theme or area of learning. The Draft Curriculum Framework published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in February 2020 includes wellbeing as one of five broad curriculum areas. This paper presents a critical reflection on the inclusion of wellbeing as an area of learning in a redeveloped primary school curriculum.