In November 2021, Ardfinnan National School engaged Ark to work with their school leaders and key stakeholders towards GDPR compliance.
Over the course of 4 weeks, we were able to address all areas of GDPR with the school.
The General Data Protection Regulations is a difficult piece of legislation to implement in any organisation, let alone a school.
There is a lack of available time, expertise, and focus on this topic to make a meaningful impact on GDPR compliance.
Ark proposed an approach to engage school leaders and key stakeholders on GDPR.
Ark’s expertise would ensure the school could identify gaps in current systems and then implement a practical plan to achieve compliance.
GDPR Workshops were held with key stakeholders, including I.S.M, Office Staff and SEN to understand how the school handles data. Through these workshops, Ark advised and agreed on an action plan for each group.
The Policy Pack was then prepared, which included Data Protection & CCTV policies. Ark updated enrolment forms, established agreements with relevant 3rd parties and provided additional recourses to demonstrate GDPR Compliance.
Staff training then took place via our eLearning Platform – The Ark Academy™. This online training has brought the wider staff through their individual GDPR responsibilities in everyday teaching and learning.
Now, when the school needs GDPR advice, school leaders have same-day access to expertise, advice and opinion from a dedicated point of contact.
Our 4 Stage Process proved successful in addressing Ardfinnan National School’s GDPR obligations in a comprehensive manner. In less than 4 weeks, workshops were held, policies prepared, and a clear action plan developed.
In just 4 weeks, Ardfinnan National School were able to demonstrate GDPR compliance. From start to finish, school leaders and staff were fully supported by the Ark team.
Ark has developed a sector-specific approach to GDPR compliance in schools. This resulted in significant staff engagement and a successful project.
The I.S.M. benefitted from the GDPR workshops with Ark. These workshops provided an opportunity to address questions or concerns specific to their department. In addition, staff were advised on best practices.
The Policy Pack was delivered "ratification-ready". This ensured that policies could become live quickly, thus switching the focus to the action plan.
School leaders benefitted from a practical action plan, i.e. one that addressed the gaps in current systems and provided clear guidance on what key stakeholders needed to do in their specific department or area.
Staff Training through The Ark Academy™ delivered the key points of the new Data Protection Policy. The Ark Training Tracker managed course progressions from start to finish resulting in close to zero administration for school leaders.
After the initial project had been delivered, school leaders continue to benefit from same-day support for GDPR related queries.
