The papers in these two linked symposia explore the relationship between education, educational leadership and the creation of a democratic society. The specific focus of this symposium is on different models of practice that contribute the development of democratic schools. Key to all of the papers is the view that  School leadership needs to be a broad concept that is embedded in the school community as a whole with the view that leadership is shared responsibility in order to develop a shared sense of a democratic, inclusive community.  Each of the papers draw on different evidence sources and refers to different national contexts – UK, Poland and Norway-  while recognizing the of the increasingly shared imperatives and forces that are shaping all education systems. The link between leadership for democratic citizenship and the type of school organization that is created and the coherence or lack of between individual beliefs and conducted action or typical professional behavior in a range of different school settings are defining components of the papers.