Building a new school–university partnership: using theory of change methodology as a collaborative tool

Purpose This article explores how partnership development in a newly accredited pre-service teacher education provider in England was successfully underpinned by a theory of change methodology. Previous literature has indicated that the perspectives of school stakeholders are often missing from scholarly work into school–university partnerships; therefore, it was pertinent to collaborate with school-based stakeholders in this project. Design/methodology/approach Theory of change methodology was used as a tool to develop a co-constructed vision and operational model for developing an effective school–university partnership. A collaborative approach was adopted, which involved two phases: a scoping literature review and stakeholder workshops. Theory of change pathway diagrams were created, informed by the evidence gathered in the two phases of the project. Findings The resulting theory of change provided a working model for developing an effective partnership. Four long-term goals were identified including: sustainable, reciprocal, collaborative, innovative and dynamic. The importance of leveraging the unique value of the university within a mutually beneficial partnership was highlighted by stakeholders, as well as the importance of the partnership being able to respond and adapt to the changing landscape of pre-service teacher education. Originality/value The benefits and limitations of a collaborative theory of change methodology in this context are discussed, including the value that collaboration with stakeholders adds to understanding effective school–university partnerships within the post-accreditation teacher education landscape in England. The article suggests that the theory of change methodology can act as a mediating tool for advancing strategic thinking in a mixed team of practitioners, academics and professional services.