Insights

At Compass, we believe that great technology has the power to transform schools – reducing admin, improving efficiency, and ultimately giving teachers more time to focus on what matters: their students. But behind every innovative feature is a team of passionate developers making it happen. To celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re shining a light on one of the incredible women shaping our platform: Heather Thorburn, Software Engineer at Compass Education. From her first spark of inspiration in a high school computing class to solving real-world school challenges today, Heather’s journey into EdTech is a testament to the impact of women in STEM. From Pen & Paper to Purpose-Driven Code Heather’s interest in technology began early, nurtured by a supportive

Contents: As we embark on the 2024-2025 academic year, the focus on mental health and wellbeing within schools is more crucial than ever. With increasing awareness of the mental health challenges faced by students, educational institutions are recognising their vital role in fostering environments that support both emotional and psychological health. Implementing effective strategies to promote mental health is essential for nurturing resilient, happy, and successful students. As a trusted partner in educational technology, Compass Education is committed to helping schools create and maintain a culture of wellbeing. Creating Supportive Environments The new academic year offers a fresh opportunity to establish safe, supportive environments that prioritise mental health. Schools can play a pivotal role in early intervention and prevention, significantly reducing the impact of

Schools are acutely aware of the crucial role that good mental health plays in educational outcomes. With mental health issues among children and adolescents on the rise, there is an urgent need to provide reliable support mechanisms. But could termly mental health report cards be the next essential tool in this endeavour? Rising Parental Concerns and the Potential Solution Our report, “Disturbing Currents: Wellbeing and Mental Health of Children in Wales,” highlights troubling statistics and widespread parental anxiety about their children’s mental health, particularly within school environments. Consider a parent like Sarah, who has noticed her daughter, Emily, becoming more withdrawn and anxious over the past few months. Sarah’s story is echoed by many, with our report revealing that four in five (81%) parents

Trigger Warning: references to depression, self-harm, anxiety. When we discuss children’s mental health, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers. Statistics from our recent report “Disturbing currents: Wellbeing and mental health of children in Wales”, reveal a daunting reality. But beyond the figures lies a deeper, more personal story – one filled with the emotional turbulence that too many families across Wales are living on a daily basis. Emily’s Journey: A Mother’s Perspective Take, for instance, the story of Emily on the Young Minds website.  Emily was a vibrant and sociable child whose life took a drastic turn in Year 8. Her mother recounts, “Primary school was easy. Emily was outgoing, sociable, loved her drama classes. Secondary started well: new friends, good grades.

In this series of blogs we’ve been looking at the issue of wellbeing across Wales. To better understand the rise of mental health concerns among school-age children in Wales, we wanted to explore what parents think may be contributing to the increased levels of anxiety.  Last month we published our report, ‘Disturbing currents: wellbeing and mental health of children in Wales’. According to the findings – which included surveying over 750 parents with children currently attending primary or secondary school – there were 5 key areas that parents were especially concerned about. Broadly these can be grouped into a combination of social, developmental, and environmental factors.  1. Peer Pressure 34% of parents (both at primary and secondary school level) identified peer pressure as one

The results published in our new report ‘Disturbing currents: wellbeing and mental health of children in Wales’ show that parents in Wales are extremely concerned that too many of their children are struggling with mental health issues.  But judging from the responses to our survey, most parents also really appreciate that teachers are doing as well as they can in challenging circumstances to help their students. What are parents worrying about When we asked independent pollsters, Persepctus Global, to speak to 750 parents in Wales, they reported that a third (35%) think that their children’s mental health is either only fair or poor. 12% revealed that their children go into school each week hiding their feelings of distress from their teachers. Perspectus also reported