This article reviews the process and achievements of leadership of an improvement and development programme for children's centres in the context of public value and Ofsted inspection. It analyses how the capacity has been developed of children's centre managers to work more strategically and collectively. Distributed leadership theory is applied to this context, which has received limited attention from this perspective. It has helped to clarify how leadership is distributed in such complex multi-professional public sector contexts and placed emphasis on the dialogue and facilitation of the leadership practice. A model of an improvement cycle is constructed, and leading this programme is likened to turning a heavy flywheel. Although there has been a shift in thinking within the leadership team of the centres and more evidence of a collective professional will, regular input by the programme leader has been necessary to maintain the momentum of improvements. Ofsted grades have improved, and these centres are now in a stronger position to demonstrate their impact, which is important for maintaining funding at a time of austerity.