Trailblazer Evaluation Report 17/18

The team has had periods of reduced capacity this year. Despite this they have
maintained the high standards that schools and partners have come to expect with
teacher comments reflecting that “every year it is getting stronger and stronger” as
a programme, as well as the team managing a successful recruitment campaign for
the year ahead.
Outcomes for schools
The depth and breadth of engagement of schools with Trailblazer has progressed.
Reflective practice, setting clear aims and gathering evidence of impact is well
established. The application forms and reflective practice reports show an
increasingly sophisticated awareness of the potential of the programme to
improve outcomes for pupils. Cultural Champions make clear plans of how that will
be achieved, monitored and what the evidence will look like.
Cultural Champions were invited to work together on common areas of interest to
share best practice, resources and planning. This has been a focus of twilight
sessions, with schools collaborating within Multi Academy Trust groupings,
inter-school project partnerships and culmination events. The twilight sessions
continue to provide a valued space for networking, inspiration and information.
“With the help of the Trailblazer leadership CPDs and the LiCL programme, I was
able to make a real impact across the whole school, get us a Gold ArtsMark and
convince SLT to revamp the curriculum and arts provision for our pupils. This is
something I couldn’t have achieved without being involved in
Trailblazer and I even bagged myself a promotion”
Cultural Champion, Thameside Primary School
Students engaging with Cultural Partner Confidance, Beacon Hill Academy, January 2018
Photo Credit: Grace Price