Achieving democracy – still more so holistic democracy – is a highly ambitious aim. Democracy, as others have argued before, is best seen as a journey rather than a point of arrival. This chapter puts forward a framework for analysing the idea of ‘degrees of democracy’, using data from three different kinds of school in England to illustrate and illuminate the framework.

The question of degrees of democracy was brought to the fore in analysis of data from a study of an inner city Academy in England (one of the three schools featured in this chapter). At the time of study one of the key staff development initiatives was an emergent leadership scheme (ELS), initiated, developed and organised by the Academy, which aimed to develop leadership capabilities in teachers early in their career. It appeared to be an example of a phenomenon that is integral to contemporary ideas of effective organisation, including schools – namely, the engagement of organisational members’ energy, passion and desire in relationships that build and distribute leadership capacity, blur traditional organisational hierarchies and assumptions and promote innovation and learning within the organisation. It also offered an illuminating illustration of some of the leadership dynamics in the Academy, revealing how it was willing to experiment and attempt to model new forms of leadership practice designed to effect fast-paced change. On field visits, which included interviews and observations, the ELS appeared to encapsulate the energy, passion and commitment that could be seen in how many of the staff approached their work and relationships in the Academy and the Academy's aspiration to develop an ideas-generating culture. One possible interpretation of the ELS could be to see it as an instrumental exercise which engages the commitment, enthusiasm and creativity of teaching staff towards achieving performative goals – that is, not about real empowerment, but an example of the way teaching is subjected to policy agendas whilst appearing to be given opportunities for leadership and creativity.