Thurrock Trailblazer Evaluation 2015/16

Developing opportunities for authentic, industry linked learning in the
sector has been identified as a key feature of the ‘South East Talent
Accelerator’ 26 the aim of which is:
“To open up new progression routes into the creative industries. A
commitment to developing talent, skills training, apprenticeships and
careers advice is important for the growth of the creative industries. In
addition to helping young people acquire the skills they need for the
sector, providing great experience of working in this environment is also
important.”
Careers advice and guidance are increasingly being seen as relevant to
children at all stages of their education - from the moment they begin.
Schools are charged to help pupils make:
“Choices about the next stage of their education, employment, selfemployment
or training, where relevant, from impartial careers advice and
guidance...where relevant, employability skills so that they are well
prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, selfemployment
or training.”
Ofsted 2015
With 21 arts and Cultural Partners engaging with schools (and many more
individual practitioners within those organisations) there is an ideal
opportunity to think more deeply about how Trailblazer has the potential
to further develop this (to date incidental) aspect of the programme.
Towards cultural entitlement - Thurrock Local Cultural Education
Partnership (LCEP)
The programme already plays an important part in the developing
Thurrock LCEP. The partnership has begun to map arts and cultural
provision across Thurrock. Pupils have expressed an interest in being
more involved in shaping the Cultural Catalogue, and the LCEP is
consulting with Thurrock Youth Council.
There is scope to look at international models of cultural entitlement in
Finland and Amsterdam. Kulttuurikasvatus 27 and Mocca 28 respectively, are
culture pathways that set out a coherent, comprehensive programme of
cultural experiences that children are entitled to experience. Working
with the Thurrock LCEP, Trailblazer might conduct comprehensive
mapping and tracking of the experiences of Thurrock Trailblazer pupils to
inform a Thurrock cultural pathway.
26 CCSkills (Date Accessed 12/10/2016). Towards a national prospectus for the creative economy in
the South East. https://ccskills.org.uk/downloads/SE_Prospectus_Low_Res_.pdf
27 (Date Accessed: 12/10/2016). www.kulttuurikasvatus.kuopio.fi
28 (Date Accessed: 12/10/2016). http://www.mocca-amsterdam.nl/
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