The primary objective of the NAB Schools First Awards is to recognise social networks that already exist between schools and communities and to encourage both the strengthening of these and the building of new linkages. This report looks at how effectively NAB Schools First has recognised and encouraged school and community partnerships. It also looks at how effectively a subset of 2009 NAB Schools First Award partnerships can demonstrate improvements in partnership collaboration, sustainability, and effectiveness from 2010 to 2011. Also considered is the extent to which the NAB Schools First judging process ‘raised the bar’ on applications for Awards from 2010 to 2011, and, the effectiveness of the NAB Schools First strategy in achieving impact as a national demonstration project.