Educational management was still a relatively new field of study and practice in the UK at the time of the Education Reform Act (ERA) 1988. The field focused on "management" and not leadership. This emphasis very much reflected the business world and its use in education illustrated the "policy borrowing" characteristic of an emerging field. This article revisits the concepts of leadership and management, examines the impact of the ERA on management practice in schools and colleges, and discusses the notion of managerialism. The chronology of leadership and management during the past 20 years is explored, including the role of New Labour and the opening of the National College for School Leadership. The paper concludes with a review of the contemporary emphasis on leadership for learning.