Addressing the challenges of sustainable partnership working in initial teacher education: a view from England

Purpose This article examines the challenges inherent in school–university partnerships (SUPs) within initial teacher education (ITE). It identifies a range of conceptual, pedagogical, epistemological and organisational factors that necessarily shape partnership working, before presenting an historical analysis, illustrating how explicit shared principles in relation to each factor can sustain SUPs faced with specific challenges. Design/methodology/approach The article identifies five factors influencing the conception and operation of SUPs, before presenting a case study of the history of the Oxford Internship Scheme (OIS), exploring the way in which secure underlying principles equipped it to respond to various macro- and micro-level challenges. The article does not seek to use data to evaluate programme outcomes but draws on published research and internal policies to examine the role played by the partnership's principles in ensuring its sustainability. Findings The analysis identifies the complex nature of SUPs and the way in which they are conceptualised and operated. Macro-level challenges are shown to have had significant implications for the sustainability of partnership working. The partnership's response to a number of micro-level challenges demonstrates the way in which the OIS has maintained coherence and sustainability by adhering consistently to a set of shared principles. Originality/value The chapter offers an analysis of a mature SUP that has navigated multiple waves of national policy reform without losing its conceptual integrity. By bringing together theoretical insights, policy critique and practical illustrations of partnership work, it advances understanding of what enables SUPs to remain robust and adaptive – and thus sustainable – over time.