Kazakhstan is seeking to modernise its educational system and adapt to the needs of contemporary society, and as a result expectations for schools and school leaders are changing. This paper will report the results of an on-going research project which aims to explore the ways in which school leaders understand and respond to the various demands regarding educational reforms. More specifically, the objectives of the research are: i) to identify innovative leadership practices and organisational factors which promote understanding, dialogue and actions within the school, and/or between schools; and ii) to document how school leaders and teachers view educational reforms and respond to the demands of managing change. The work presented will draw on empirical evidence obtained through a mixed method design, including interviews, surveys, observations and documentary analysis. The data will be collected in urban and rural schools in three different locations in Kazakhstan which have been chosen to provide a variety of geographical, historical and policy contexts. It is expected that this research will highlight principals’ and teachers’ understanding of the process of reform and their roles within it. This paper will discuss the implications for principals’ and teachers’ professional development in their roles as change agents.