In schools, In community implementing a university-school partnership at the University of Cape Town

The purpose of this article is twofold : the first is to describe the Schools Improvement Initiative (SII) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) - a university-school partnership implemented in six schools in the Western Cape township of Khayelitsha. The second purpose is to report on the methodology of the case study as used during the initial stage of the intervention. Working in collaboration with faculties and groupings within UCT; with education-related organisations in the community; and with the Metropole East Education District (MEED), the SII aims to bring about systemic school improvement in its partner schools. Through purposeful collaboration, the SII focuses its interventions on both the professional development of teachers and the organisational development of the school. Underpinning the SII's work is a context specific approach, and it is through the methodology of the case study that this is achieved. The case study is used as an initiator of dialogue and a preliminary 'step to action' (Adelman, Jenkins and Kemmis 1980 in Cohen, Manion and Morrison 2009, 256). Accurately generated data from the case study, that is shared openly with the participants, can be a powerful way to generate trust and collaboration, and engage all stakeholders in school improvement initiatives.