It is generally accepted internationally that a corollary of a policy of autonomy has been the ‘accountability’ agenda. Consequently, these twin towers have come to dominate the educational landscape, nationally and internationally, while arguably in England the de-regulation and decentralisation of decision-making central to the autonomy agenda has been a cleft stick, the other element of which has been centralised prescription of curricula, and external accountability policed by OFSTED. It is under the gaze of these twin watch towers that practitioners have had to learn and lead. This paper is in 4 parts. One, concepts of professional learning are briefly outlined. Two, key policy documents regarding professional learning and leading are isolated and interrogated, while these perspectives are juxtaposed with successive iterations of external accountability prescriptions. Three, teachers’ and head teachers’ perspectives on their professional learning and practices are carefully analysed across five case study schools against the backdrop of national policy. Four, this concluding section identifies: a) implications of understanding of school leadership that require further theorising and research, b) key themes with potential to become the basis of international comparative research, and c) determine how, in their work, practitioners deal with resonance and dissonance between the competing and conflicting demands of autonomy and accountability.