ABSTRACT
We have often used the metaphor of ‘the journey’ to describe our work in the project, in an attempt to emphasise the non-prescriptive and extended nature of our collaboration. But this image serves as an important reminder for us too. It characterises the twin ideas of purpose and uncertainty that pervade school improvement efforts; purpose, because our work is underpinned by a set of principles and values that we have articulated in earlier chapters; uncertainty, because the dynamic nature of learning, of schools, of educational processes and environments means that we are all subject to unforeseen and sometimes unforeseeable forces which can blow us off course, causing detours and delays. But though we may lose sight of the signposts, we are guided by the principles, and by the shared understandings we have established with our partner schools.
