Detailed in this article are two case studies carried out over the last two years in the UK and Ireland which embody the objectives of tackling social exclusion and widening access to education via a partnership and integrated approach. One was completed as part of a Scottish Executive-funded study on widening participation in HE, and the other was funded by Integra and carried out in Ireland. The aim of outlining the findings of these case studies is to shed some light on the usefulness of the partnership approach to widening access. Whilst such an approach sounds eminently reasonable on paper, particularly the focus on de-centralisation, integrated services and grassroots development, in classic policy research terms, does the rhetoric match up with the reality? Do partnership-based out-reach programmes reach the parts other less innovative initiatives cannot?