Trailblazer Evaluation Report 17/18

Having clear aims and a plan to monitor and gather evidence has become an
accepted habit in the group. Where Cultural Champions are systematic and
organised in gathering evidence and feedback, they are equipped with useful data
that can inform planning, be used to persuade and justify allocation of resources.
This habit of reflective practice and finding evidence of impact is one of the key
ways that Cultural Champions are able to embed arts and cultural learning into
their school development, and to make the case across their schools. For some it
has enabled a shift from arts and cultural experience as a ‘nice to have’ to a valued
improvement tool.
“Finding evidence is very important as it allows SLT to see
where the impact is on a wider scale”
Cultural Champion, Herringham Primary School
The nature of investigation in the Reflective Practice Reports (RPRs 1 ), interviews
with Cultural Champions, meetings with schools and survey results all indicate a
deeper, more integrated level of engagement that is affecting change in the
curriculum and teaching and learning.
In the annual survey of Cultural Champions, most gave strong feedback about levels
of impact on provision, and the changes that Trailblazer is inspiring in their
curriculum.
• 90% reported that their schools had improved the quality of
teaching & learning in the arts
• 86% had developed creative approaches to teaching & learning
• 84% had been able to enhance the curriculum with stimulating
experiences
• 93% agree that there has been an in-depth change in the quality
of their arts provision
1 Cultural Champions are asked to identify a priority for development and the Trailblazer activity that will support it. They frame a key question for investigation, with a
plan detailing the evidence they will collect, how they will collect it, and how that evidence will be shared and used to inform planning.
12