The ability to work collaboratively and the emergence of a range of collaborative activities across public-sector organisations has become an important subject for research (e.g. Hopkins, 2009, Dyson et al., 2009; Mckimm & Phillips, 2009). In schools the shift towards partnership working could be seen as a central characteristic of contemporary schooling. However, the literature (e.g. Atkinson et al., 2007, Huxham & Vangen, 2005; Sullivan & Skelcher, 2002) suggests that differences in school and partner agency cultures, organisational interests, political agendas, professional agendas and ways of working, all contribute to the erection of a substantial barrier to collaboration. There is a lot of evidence that many collaborations make slow progress and that others die without achieving anything.  The key problem is that many public leaders have never learnt how to build, sustain and direct relationships with people and organisations with whom they must collaborate (Rubin, 2009). Therefore, the rationale of this study was located in the need to examine and learn how leaders deal with a variety of situations and tasks while working within a collaborative inter-organisational context involving schools.  

The focus of this paper is the urban public school leader’s collaborative practice. This study aimed at learning more about the collaborative work of leaders with families, communities and partner agencies and how school leaders respond to children and community needs in a different socio-economic context. The study’s conceptual framework was based on a theoretical concept of social capital (e.g. Putnam, 2000; Coleman, 1990, 1988) and the relevant literature on collaborative leadership (e.g. Rubin, 2009; Chrislip, 2002; Chrislip & Larson, 1994).

I sought to answer the following research questions: 

1) what leadership practices are associated with maximising further community participation?

2) what leadership practices optimise the development of the inter-agency partnership working?

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