TT1617 Evaluation Report

Thurrock Trailblazer and how it has progressed during 2016/17
Thurrock Trailblazer is an innovative programme of high quality arts and
cultural activities, visits to heritage sites and specialist teacher training, that
boosts creative learning in schools and accelerates pupils’ development.
In partnership with Thurrock Council, the Royal Opera House is working
with local, regional and national arts organisations to deliver cultural
education in Thurrock.
So far, Thurrock Trailblazer has worked with over 325 teachers in
Continued Professional Development (CPD) programmes. To date, the
programme has reached 43 schools and each year over 10,000 students
take part, all of whom participated in creative and cultural activities.
Quarry Hill Academy at
ROHThurrock10 (Photo: Rachel Cherry)
William Edwards School participating in a ROH: Infra workshop (Photo: Brian Slater)
Now in Year Four of delivery, Trailblazer has been established as a driver
for organisational change and inter-school collaboration. It provides a
distinct and valued service to schools, leading culture driven approaches to
school improvement across a range of school priorities. Trailblazer is
securing better outcomes for children and young people.
The Thurrock Education Commission of 2013 made six key
recommendations to support the acceleration of progress and
performance in Thurrock. 1 These addressed the need for vision and
strategy, trust and collaboration, peer-led improvement, recruitment and
retention and the lifting of aspiration across the community. Trailblazer has
been a significant factor in the progress that has been made in Thurrock
schools, and the impact is tangible. The progress that the programme
made in 2016/17 highlights how closely aligned the Thurrock Trailblazer
objectives are with the ambitions of the Education Commission.
1 Thurrock Education Commission, Christine Gilbert and Robert Hill, Report: September,
2013.
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