Education systems nationally and internationally are in a state of flux due to an increased focus on institutional accountability and school improvement initiatives (Devine, Fahie and McGillicuddy, 2013; Rhodes and Brundrett, 2009). As a result of these demands, the concept of a ‘school’ is “dramatically and irrecoverably changing”, with school leaders having to adapt to change in “a much shorter time frame of innovation than ever before” (Harris, 2012, p. 15). This has recently been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic which is “shaking the very fabric of education” (Harris & Jones, 2020, p. 243). It is clear that school leaders are ultimately responsible for responding to the rapid and ever-evolving changes to the concept of a ‘school’, while also maintaining the status quo of accountability and school improvement initiatives. “The speed of change in this pandemic is unprecedented”, which has arguably cemented distributed leadership as the prevailing model of leadership for responding proactively to challenges (Harris & Jones, 2020, p. 246). Rather than view the contemporary context only as a time of turmoil for educational leadership, it should be seen as an opportunity to “reflect on the status quo” (Facer, 2020) and as an “opportunity for real change” (Schleicher, 2020, p. 26). Chief amongst these changes is the need for a reorganisation of the systemic forces acting upon schools and school leaders in order to provide more transparent governance, greater clarity of expectations and additional rapid supports.