The last twenty years have seen two significant strands of education-policy reform in England: an increased emphasis on the power of market forces as a strategy for school improvement and the development of new governance structures that may not be based around local areas or communities (Ainscow et al, 2020). These policy moves are both positioning schools in a competitive market and loosening the links between schools and their local communities. Various forms of area-based partnerships have emerged, where schools are encouraged and enabled to work together with neighbouring schools and community partners (Armstrong & Ainscow, 2018). In this paper, we report on the Area-Based Partnerships Project (ABPP), which investigates examples of collaborative working in eight regions in England. Our case-study research is framed by the following questions: What are the conditions that facilitate the establishment and sustainability of area-based school partnerships? What are the features and benefits of these partnerships? What barriers do they face and how are these being addressed? And, what are the implications for the creation of effective forms of local coordination within education systems? Data were generated through documentary analysis followed by interviews and focus-group seminars with key actors, including governors and Trust members, Chief Executive Officers, local-authority representatives and school principals. We identify key factors underpinning the purposefulness of such partnerships, including the establishment of strong professional networks, often led by experienced school leaders; the contribution of local-authority officers; a commitment to collaborative working; and a clearly-articulated statement of principles. Our findings underline the importance of context, specifically the histories, demographics, cultures, and conventions that characterise local systems and communities in which each case is situated. This serves to highlight the importance of localised policy enactment and decision (Braun et al, 2011). Notably, these partnerships have no formal status or mandate, instead drawing their influence from soft power and the social capital of the collective capacity of local educational leaders and professionals. While the extent to which these partnerships can be seen as ‘successful’ and/or sustainable is variable between different regions, there are lessons we can draw from this project that will inform thinking around how we structure our school systems in ways that promote equity and excellence. This paper addresses the role of partnerships in improving the quality of education in order to alleviate disadvantage and reduce inequalities (Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10; see Kerr et al, 2014).

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