At Compass, we know how important it is for schools to find the right partners to work with, especially when it comes to assessing and implementing technology solutions at the heart of a school’s community. A true partnership is about the people as much as the technology solution. We might be biassed but we think we have some cracking people, across the globe at Compass; what better day to introduce you to this Compass hero.
Happy St. David’s Day from Claire, Head of Sales and one of our Compass heroes.
Having worked in the education sector for the majority of my career I’ve always felt a strong connection with the school community, especially here in Wales where I grew up and live with my family today.
When I joined Compass, it was the people I was drawn to. Of course, we have a super product offering, but for me, it’s the people who make Compass unique; the people who create the impactful technology features, and the people who support schools embracing the technology in their quest to improve education for all.
As a parent of two children in primary education in the Vale of Glamorgan, I feel passionate about the opportunities technology can give them to become capable, creative, confident learners and citizens. For too many years now, schools in Wales have not had the choice or flexibility that they deserve.
From my own experience as a mum, and also from speaking with a number of local authorities and schools across Wales in recent months, I know how dated and ‘out of the box’ technology is failing schools. It’s preventing schools from reducing the time they spend on administration, it’s preventing schools from driving parental engagement, and critically, it’s preventing schools from spending more time delivering inspiring learning experiences. I would LOVE to see school staff in Wales having the support they need to get back to doing what they do best, and for parents to feel more informed and involved with their child’s education.
I have a personal and professional mission to change this, better connecting schools in Wales with technology solutions that will allow them to regain control of their school management; making the school day more productive, more impactful and more enjoyable.
Compass is well versed in adapting its proven technology to meet the varying needs of schools across the globe; from Australia to Ireland and the UK, Compass is trusted by over 3,000 schools to help learning thrive.
We are already collaborating with schools in Wales to develop our solution to not only meet compliance requirements for Wales, such as statutory data returns, additional learning needs and assessment, but also to nurture and protect the Welsh language by fully translating our solution into Welsh.
Those I have met with so far are particularly excited about the impact Chronicle could have in Wales, to meet the growing challenges around supporting children with additional learning needs, managing behaviour and wellbeing.
With Chronicle, schools can effectively monitor and reward positive behaviour, while also managing student wellbeing and safeguarding. Wellbeing, we know, is a growing area of concern amongst schools in Wales and shortly we will be releasing a study into this area so that in partnership with the education community, we can improve the wellbeing of children across Wales.
Over the coming weeks I am committed to meeting with as many local authorities and schools across Wales as I can to understand how, together, we can build a better future for the children of Wales. Keep an eye out for me, and my ‘goodie bags’, that I’ll be dropping off.
I’m also delighted to announce that Compass is the headline sponsor for The National Education Show in Llandudno on 14 June 2024, and also in Cardiff on 04 October 2024, so I look forward to connecting with many of you at this event.
My home and heart belong to Wales and I’m looking forward to further connecting the Compass team, including ‘Dafydd y Ddraig’, with the schools of Wales and their communities.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus bawb!
Claire
cwensley@compass.education
Why not follow Claire’s journey across Wales on LinkedIn, or reach out to connect with Claire and the team directly.
Yn Compass, rydyn ni’n gwybod pa mor bwysig yw hi i ysgolion ddod o hyd i’r partneriaid cywir i weithio gyda nhw, yn enwedig wrth asesu a gweithredu atebion technolegol wrth wraidd cymuned yr ysgol. Mae gwir bartneriaeth yn ymwneud â’r bobl cymaint â’r ateb technolegol. Mae’n siŵr na allwn ni fod yn ddiduedd, ond rydyn ni’n credu bod gennym ni bobl gwych, ym mhob cwr o’r byd yn Compass; dyma’r diwrnod perffaith i gyflwyno’r arwr Compass yma i chi.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus gan Claire, Pennaeth Gwerthiant ac un o arwyr Compass.
Ar ôl gweithio yn y sector addysg am y rhan fwyaf o fy ngyrfa, rwyf bob amser wedi teimlo cysylltiad cryf â’r gymuned ysgolion, yn enwedig yma yng Nghymru lle tyfais i fyny a lle rwy’n byw gyda fy nheulu heddiw.
Pan ymunais â Compass, y bobl wnaeth fy nenu. Wrth gwrs, mae gennym ni gynnyrch gwych i’w gynnig, ond y bobl sy’n gwneud Compass yn unigryw; y bobl sy’n creu y nodweddion technoleg sy’n cael effaith, a’r bobl sy’n cefnogi’r ysgolion sy’n manteisio ar y dechnoleg yn eu hymgais i wella addysg i bawb.
Rwy’n rhiant i ddau o blant mewn addysg gynradd ym Mro Morgannwg ac rwy’n angerddol ynghylch y cyfleoedd y gall technoleg roi iddynt i fod yn ddysgwyr ac yn ddinasyddion galluog, creadigol a hyderus. Am lawer gormod o flynyddoedd erbyn hyn, nid yw ysgolion yng Nghymru wedi cael y dewis na’r hyblygrwydd y maent yn eu haeddu.
O fy mhrofiad fy hun fel mam, a hefyd o siarad â nifer o awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion ledled Cymru yn y misoedd diwethaf, rwy’n gwybod sut y mae technoleg sydd wedi dyddio ac ‘allan o’r blwch’ yn siomi ysgolion. Mae’n atal ysgolion rhag lleihau’r amser y maent yn ei dreulio ar dasgau gweinyddol, mae’n atal ysgolion rhag ysgogi ymgysylltiad rhieni, ac yn allweddol, mae’n atal ysgolion rhag treulio mwy o amser yn ysbrydoli profiadau dysgwyr. Byddwn yn DWLU gweld staff ysgolion yng Nghymru yn cael y cymorth y mae ei angen arnynt i fynd yn ôl i wneud yr hyn y maent yn ei wneud orau, ac i rieni deimlo eu bod yn cael mwy o wybodaeth ac yn cael eu cynnwys yn fwy yn addysg eu plentyn.
Mae gennyf genhadaeth bersonol a phroffesiynol i newid hyn, gan gysylltu ysgolion yng Nghymru yn well gydag atebion technolegol fydd yn caniatáu iddynt reoli prosesau eu hysgol; gan wneud y diwrnod ysgol yn fwy cynhyrchiol, cael mwy o effaith a chael mwy o hwyl.
Mae gan Compass brofiad helaeth o addasu ei dechnoleg sefydledig i ddiwallu amrywiol anghenion ysgolion dros y byd; o Awstralia i Iwerddon a’r DU, mae dros 3,000 o ysgolion yn ymddiried yn Compass i helpu i sicrhau bod dysgu yn ffynnu.
Rydym eisoes yn cydweithio gydag ysgolion yng Nghymru i ddatblygu ateb i fodloni gofynion cydymffurfio yng Nghymru, er enghraifft i ddychwelyd data statudol, anghenion dysgu ychwanegol ac asesu, a hefyd i feithrin a diogelu’r Gymraeg drwy gyfieithu ein hateb yn gyfan gwbl i’r Gymraeg.
Mae’r rheini rwyf wedi cwrdd â nhw hyd yn hyn yn llawn cyffro am yr effaith y gallai Chronicle ei gael yma yng Nghymru, i fodloni’r heriau sy’n tyfu o ran cefnogi plant ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, rheoli ymddygiad a llesiant.
Gyda Chronicle, gall ysgolion fonitro a gwobrwyo ymddygiad cadarnhaol yn effeithiol, gan hefyd reoli llesiant ac amddiffyn myfyrwyr. Rydym yn gwybod bod llesiant yn bryder sy’n tyfu mewn ysgolion yng Nghymru a chyn bo hir byddwn yn rhyddhau astudiaeth i’r maes hwn mewn partneriaeth â’r gymuned addysg, er mwyn gallu gwella llesiant plant ledled Cymru.
Dros yr wythnosau nesaf rwyf yn bwriadu cwrdd â chymaint o awdurdodau lleol ac ysgolion o bob cwr o Gymru â phosibl er mwyn gallu deall sut y gallwn greu dyfodol gwell i blant Cymru gyda’n gilydd. Cadwch lygad amdanaf i a fy ‘magiau o nwyddau’, y byddaf yn eu gadael gyda chi.
Rwyf hefyd yn falch o gyhoeddi mai Compass yw’r prif noddwr ar gyfer Y Sioe Addysg yn Llandudno ar 14 Mehefin 2024, a hefyd yng Nghaerdydd ar 4 Hydref 2024, felly rwy’n edrych ymlaen at greu cysylltiad â llawer ohonoch yn y digwyddiad.
Mae fy nghartref a fy nghalon yng Nghymru ac rwy’n edrych ymlaen at greu cysylltiadau pellach rhwng tîm Compass, gan gynnwys ‘Dafydd y Ddraig’, gydag ysgolion Cymru a’u cymunedau.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus bawb!
Claire
cwensley@compass.education
