In this paper we describe key elements of the teacher programme we have developed. This is a one-­‐year intensive professional preparation programme that integrates and interweaves research-­‐informed professional knowledge and evidence-­‐based inquiry with embedded practice-­‐based experiences. The programme is situated within a school-­‐university community of practice. Within the programme model we pay explicit attention to the development of “adaptive expertise” (Hatano & Inagaki, 1986) through the interweaving of the centralising constructs of “learning to practice” principles (Timperley, 2012) and “central tasks” of initial teacher education (Feiman-­‐Nemser, 2001) that align with research-­‐evidence on high-­‐quality initial teacher education programme design (Darling-­‐Hammond, et. al., 2005). We use a focused, iterative use of selected conceptual frameworks for practice that focus on the development of research-­‐ informed culturally responsive teaching-­‐learning practices. In our model we have situated ITE student learning in an intentionally co-­‐ constructed community of practice blended across locations and media. The programme is constituted as a contemporary learning environment, that is a purposeful blend of face-­‐to-­‐face and online learning. We have an explicit focus on working with Partner Schools with high populations of learners who are Māori, Pasifika, speakers of languages other than English, and those who experience particular learning needs (i.e. priority learners). We’ve designed embedded professional practice learning experiences, including experiences that go beyond the school walls to engage with families, whānau, hapū, iwi, aiga and the wider communities that support young people’s well-­‐being. There is multi-­‐disciplinary, cross-­‐sector collegial engagement among ITE students, school sector educators and university staff. Our mentoring/coaching model is co-­‐constructed by university and Partner School staff, while aligned to the development of adaptive expertise. We have an embedded and explicit use of a research-­‐based structure and method for the development of an evidence-­‐ based e-­‐portfolio to document ITE student learning and development as action competent teacher graduates, with a consistent use of an explicit inquiry/learning model across all coursework and professional practice learning experiences in the programme.