The conflict between demands for a more stable structure and better use of resources and the need for fundamental cultural changes in work to promote school development is the point of departure for this paper, which focuses on the relationship between school structure, culture and leadership. The purpose of the paper is to examine leadership in schools that are identified as being particularly successful. Another purpose is to analyse the structure, leadership and culture of these schools and compare them to those of "normal" schools. Of particular interest is the role of leadership in creat-ing a balance as regards the development of the school's structure and culture. The paper also ex-amines how political actors support school administration, principals and personnel in their work to create conditions in which all students can succeed, regardless of physical and environmental cir- cumstances. As part of this, the relationship between how the school board governs schools, and the development of school structure, culture and leadership will be examined.