Evaluator Freelance - Cultural Champions - Purfleet

Background

Ballet and opera bring all the arts together to express powerful stories of the human condition, told through the extraordinary artistry of the human body and voice. Royal Ballet & Opera (RBO) is recognised across the world as a cultural powerhouse, our influence extending across the nation far beyond our Covent Garden stages. At the heart of the organisation is creativity which can inspire everyone, particularly children and young people. Creativity is fundamental - fostering imagination, broadening horizons and building confidence through self-expression. RBO`s vision is to make the extraordinary for everyone, with L&P enabling everyone to create the extraordinary.

Through an extensive learning programme, based at our Covent Garden and Thurrock homes and across England, we aim to inspire creativity and give people of all ages the chance to discover, question and respond to the power of our artforms. The learning programme is distinctive in its scale and ambitions, involving more than 50,000 annual participants across three strands; the National Schools Programme, talent development work through opera and ballet training networks, and enriching participatory events in our Covent Garden home.

Brief

RBO`s Cultural Champions is a middle leadership training programme for teachers who are tasked with developing creative and cultural learning in their setting. The arts have gradually taken a backseat in England`s education system due to a combination of policy decisions, cultural values and budgetary factors. The impact of this has created an isolated pressure for many middle leaders in this area, who tend to be enthusiastic and passionate individuals who have limited understanding and experience of the process of such complex change of culture. The design of the programme focuses on developing the confidence, identity and skillset of those working as `Agents of Change` whilst also providing an opportunity to test and apply these skills to create change within the school itself. The use of RBO Schools Programmes - the Create Programmes - provides Cultural Champions participants training and resources in singing, dance and design, to use as mechanisms in this process.

Currently in its 10th year, Cultural Champions initially started as a singular cohort programme in Thurrock and has now grown to over 1000 educators nationally. Working either as a geographical-based or MAT wide level, the programme consists of 6 modules of training, including in-person and virtual sessions. Alongside these sessions, we provide CPD via our Create Programmes in sing, dance and design, enabling Cultural Champions to use to test and apply their leadership skills in their school. The programme is designed to be enquiry-led, delivered via a range of creative facilitation techniques and deepening reflective practice.

This year, we are working in the following places:

Bradford

Coventry

Kirklees

South Essex

Rotherham

North Kent

Tendring

Warrington

Harlow/Epping Forest

We are also working with the following Multi-Academy Trusts:

Harris

DRET

Cultural Champions Delivery and Evaluation Timeline

Due to the requirement of submission of Module reports, the deadlines for each have been established below. Please note the turnaround time for each.

Date

Programme

w/c 23rd & 30th September 24

Module 1 Delivery

18th October 24

Module 1 Reports delivered

w/c 11th & 18th November

Module 2 Delivery

6th December 24

Module 2 Reports delivered

w/c 20th & 27th January 25

Module 3 Delivery (Evaluator visit)

14th February 25

Module 3 Reports delivered

3rd & 10th March

Module 4 Delivery

28th March 25

Module 4 Reports delivered

w/c 28th April & 5th May (Bank Hol on Monday 5th) 25

Module 5 Delivery

23rd May 25

Module 5 Reports delivered

w/c 16th & 23rd June

Module 6 Delivery (Evaluator visit)

11th July

Module 6 Reports delivered

Summative report delivered

The Evaluation

This evaluation builds on the evaluation of the programme over the last three years against established outcomes. An evaluation framework has already been developed, using a mixed methods approach, with data collection tools designed. The evaluation for this year is already underway, with baseline data collected and some analysis completed.

We are seeking to work with an evaluator to shape and support the evaluation of the programme beyond this year.

Key Responsibilities

• Collate, analyse and report on entry-point and end-point data using the established framework, working with the wider Cultural Champions programme team to ensure a steady uptake in responses.
• Collate and analyse data from the module reports, and RBO staff observations, and issuing two brief summaries (one for Programme Delivery Team and one for the internal RBO Cultural Champions Steering Group) of key findings after each training module takes place
• Attend milestone check-in meetings with Core RBO team as required
• Attend Cultural Champions Steering group meeting Tuesday 15th July to present findings

• Update new entry-point and end-point surveys as needed, in communication with RBO Cultural Champions core team
• Conduct Interviews with selected teachers across the programme cohorts at endpoint, from both place and MAT models
• Attend at least one Module Three during the year and a Module Six final sharing by the same cohort in June 2025
• Produce a summative report that provides detailed analysis evaluating the programme against its desired aims and outcomes, to deepen our understanding of the strengths of the programme, the impact it has, and how we can continue to improve it
• Make recommendations to support development of the programme
• Making recommendations on the development of the impact and evaluation measurement framework to suit the needs of the growing and developing programme

How to apply

We welcome applications from individuals or organisations. Please send a written proposal describing how you will undertake this work and your approach. Your proposal should include:

• Details of you or your organisation, including a CV for individual applicants
• Relevant experience in delivering similar briefs
• If you are an organisation, specifically, who we will be working with
• Your proposed approach to carrying out the work
• How you will manage this brief to ensure it is delivered in time
• A clear breakdown of indicative costs (day rate inclusive of VAT if applicable). We estimate the number of days for this work to be approximately 10 - 12 days
• Examples of similar briefs that you have delivered
• Two references

For an informal discussion about the brief and to submit your application, please contact

For an overview for the National Schools programme visit

Closing date for applications:12pm, Wednesday 11th December 2024.

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