England has a special category of exceptional teachers: those with Advanced Skills Teacher (AST) status. To achieve this, teachers have to demonstrate that they meet 69 professional standards, complete a detailed application which has to be supported by their school principal, and go through a one day external assessment. This includes an analysis of documentary evidence, interviews with the candidate, headteacher, parents, pupils and other staff and observation of two lessons. Over 8,000 teachers have been awarded the status since the scheme began in 1998. It is a financially attractive alternative to school leadership because ASTs continue their role as classroom teachers four days a week and on the fifth help staff in other schools develop. Although only one per cent of teachers are employed as Advanced Skills Teachers (AST), they have a significant impact not only in the classroom but because, for one day a week, they share practice with other staff and schools. This paper explores ASTs as models of highly accomplished teaching. It will discuss whether the system is capturing the very best of the profession and whether they are having a system wide impact on teaching and learning. It is in working with staff in other schools for one day a week that ASTs have the potential to make a powerful difference but this has to be strategically managed to maximise impact. Using case studies of ASTs, this paper will explore the issues involved in pedagogical leadership.