This article describes a school improvement initiative involving five primary schools (ages 5-11 years) working in partnership with each other with support from a university department of education. It provides evidence of the benefits to be gained from teachers sharing and developing collective knowledge through participation in school-based enquiries on common themes. There were gains for individuals in that, in addition to the award of a Certificate of Professional Development, practice improved. There were gains for the schools through the development of policies that influenced practice and there were benefits for management through the development of collective ownership and shared responsibility for decision making related to identified school improvement themes. ["Professional Development for the Future by Building on the Past" was written with Cathie Bonich, Anne Purvis, Bobbie Ritchie, Linda Todd and Lella Yates.]