Where there were specific circumstances, for example relating to special needs provision, schools appeared to have well established links with a wide range of agencies. However , it was difficult to identify any significant initiative where either existing links had been expanded, or new links had been forged, a as a direct consequence of Zone activity – ‘from where I’m sitting the Zone hasn’t done anything in that area’ was the comment of one deputy headteacher. However, respondents were keen not to apportion blame. There was simply a recognition that ‘joined up working’ required a substantial investment of resources across a number of public service agencies that were already operating at full capacity, and therefore under considerable pressure. In the absence of adequate resourcing, and in the context of high stakes accountability, school made the strategic choice to focus on those areas of their activity that had the most impact. EAZ membership brought additional funding, but not sufficient to make a significant breakthrough in the area of multi-agency working. As a consequence, there was little evidence of multi-agency working at the operational level (although there was more evidence of this at a strategic level, for example through the active involvement of the local council on the Zone’s Action Forum and Executive Board)