diff --git a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/EmptyItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/EmptyItemWriter.java
index ec841d93d..7767681b3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/EmptyItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/batch/core/launch/EmptyItemWriter.java
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ClearFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
-import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.FlushFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.TransactionAwareProxyFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 
@@ -64,12 +62,4 @@ public class EmptyItemWriter<T> implements ItemWriter<T>, InitializingBean {
 		return list;
 	}
 
-	public void clear() throws ClearFailedException {
-		// no-op
-	}
-
-	public void flush() throws FlushFailedException {
-		// no-op
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ClearFailedException.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriteFailedException.java
similarity index 78%
rename from spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ClearFailedException.java
rename to spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriteFailedException.java
index 0c96016f8..4d46b6aee 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/ClearFailedException.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriteFailedException.java
@@ -22,25 +22,25 @@ package org.springframework.batch.item;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * @author Ben Hale
  */
-public class ClearFailedException extends ItemWriterException {
+public class WriteFailedException extends ItemWriterException {
 
 	/**
-	 * Create a new {@link ClearFailedException} based on a message and another
+	 * Create a new {@link WriteFailedException} based on a message and another
 	 * exception.
 	 * 
 	 * @param message the message for this exception
 	 * @param cause the other exception
 	 */
-	public ClearFailedException(String message, Throwable cause) {
+	public WriteFailedException(String message, Throwable cause) {
 		super(message, cause);
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Create a new {@link ClearFailedException} based on a message.
+	 * Create a new {@link WriteFailedException} based on a message.
 	 * 
 	 * @param message the message for this exception
 	 */
-	public ClearFailedException(String message) {
+	public WriteFailedException(String message) {
 		super(message);
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriterNotOpenException.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriterNotOpenException.java
index 08691f9f7..5bbe60d0b 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriterNotOpenException.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/WriterNotOpenException.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ package org.springframework.batch.item;
  * 
  * @author Lucas Ward
  */
-public class WriterNotOpenException extends ItemReaderException {
+public class WriterNotOpenException extends ItemWriterException {
 
 	/**
 	 * Create a new {@link WriterNotOpenException} based on a message.
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
index 3939d4eb8..30f26f7b3 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/file/FlatFileItemWriter.java
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ import java.util.List;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStream;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamException;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.WriteFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.WriterNotOpenException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.transform.LineAggregator;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.util.ExecutionContextUserSupport;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.util.FileUtils;
-import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.FlushFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.TransactionAwareBufferedWriter;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriter<T> extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implement
 			state.write(lines.toString());
 		}
 		catch (IOException e) {
-			throw new FlushFailedException("Could not write data.  The file may be corrupt.", e);
+			throw new WriteFailedException("Could not write data.  The file may be corrupt.", e);
 		}
 		state.linesWritten += lineCount;
 	}
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ public class FlatFileItemWriter<T> extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implement
 					outputState.write("\n");
 				}
 				catch (IOException e) {
-					throw new FlushFailedException("Could not write headers.  The file may be corrupt.", e);
+					throw new ItemStreamException("Could not write headers.  The file may be corrupt.", e);
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
index 8f01dfd0e..dd04e589f 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/item/xml/StaxEventItemWriter.java
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ExecutionContext;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
+import org.springframework.batch.item.WriteFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.file.ResourceAwareItemWriterItemStream;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.util.ExecutionContextUserSupport;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.util.FileUtils;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.xml.stax.NoStartEndDocumentStreamWriter;
-import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.FlushFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.TransactionAwareBufferedWriter;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.InitializingBean;
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ public class StaxEventItemWriter<T> extends ExecutionContextUserSupport implemen
 			eventWriter.flush();
 		}
 		catch (XMLStreamException e) {
-			throw new FlushFailedException("Failed to flush the events", e);
+			throw new WriteFailedException("Failed to flush the events", e);
 		}
 
 	}
diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/FlushFailedException.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/FlushFailedException.java
index f0a435d0d..5d2c93099 100644
--- a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/FlushFailedException.java
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/support/transaction/FlushFailedException.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
  */
 package org.springframework.batch.support.transaction;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriterException;
 
 /**
  * Unchecked exception indicating that an error has occurred while trying to flush a buffer.
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriterException;
  * @author Lucas Ward
  * @author Ben Hale
  */
-public class FlushFailedException extends ItemWriterException {
+public class FlushFailedException extends RuntimeException {
 
 	/**
 	 * Create a new {@link FlushFailedException} based on a message and another exception.
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/.springBeans b/spring-batch-samples/.springBeans
index 64eb692b5..4a9376336 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/.springBeans
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/.springBeans
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 		<config>src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/sample/common/StagingItemReaderTests-context.xml</config>
 		<config>src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/sample/common/StagingItemWriterTests-context.xml</config>
 		<config>src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/sample/TradeJobFunctionalTests-context.xml</config>
+		<config>src/test/resources/org/springframework/batch/sample/PartitionJobFunctionalTests-context.xml</config>
 	</configs>
 	<configSets>
 		<configSet>
@@ -415,5 +416,15 @@
 				<config>src/main/resources/jobs/iosample/ibatis.xml</config>
 			</configs>
 		</configSet>
+		<configSet>
+			<name><![CDATA[partition]]></name>
+			<allowBeanDefinitionOverriding>true</allowBeanDefinitionOverriding>
+			<incomplete>false</incomplete>
+			<configs>
+				<config>src/main/resources/data-source-context.xml</config>
+				<config>src/main/resources/jobs/partitionJob.xml</config>
+				<config>src/main/resources/simple-job-launcher-context.xml</config>
+			</configs>
+		</configSet>
 	</configSets>
 </beansProjectDescription>
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcGameDao.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcGameDao.java
index fd3f09864..bcf67aca4 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcGameDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcGameDao.java
@@ -18,10 +18,8 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.football.internal;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ClearFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.football.Game;
-import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.FlushFailedException;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.namedparam.MapSqlParameterSource;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.namedparam.SqlParameterSource;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcDaoSupport;
@@ -56,10 +54,4 @@ public class JdbcGameDao extends SimpleJdbcDaoSupport implements ItemWriter<Game
 
 	}
 
-	public void clear() throws ClearFailedException {
-	}
-
-	public void flush() throws FlushFailedException {
-	}
-
 }
diff --git a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
index 47174b112..1db556c4a 100644
--- a/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
+++ b/spring-batch-samples/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/sample/domain/football/internal/JdbcPlayerSummaryDao.java
@@ -18,12 +18,10 @@ package org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.football.internal;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
-import org.springframework.batch.item.ClearFailedException;
 import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
 import org.springframework.batch.sample.domain.football.PlayerSummary;
-import org.springframework.batch.support.transaction.FlushFailedException;
-import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcDaoSupport;
 import org.springframework.jdbc.core.namedparam.MapSqlParameterSource;
+import org.springframework.jdbc.core.simple.SimpleJdbcDaoSupport;
 
 public class JdbcPlayerSummaryDao extends SimpleJdbcDaoSupport implements ItemWriter<PlayerSummary> {
 
@@ -50,13 +48,4 @@ public class JdbcPlayerSummaryDao extends SimpleJdbcDaoSupport implements ItemWr
 
 	}
 
-	public void close() throws Exception {
-	}
-
-	public void clear() throws ClearFailedException {
-	}
-
-	public void flush() throws FlushFailedException {
-	}
-
 }