A report of a study in a system of public education that is widely believed to be well down each track in its efforts to create world class schools is pesented. The aim of the study, thought to be the first of its kind, was to determine the extent to which the five disciplines in the Senge model of a learning organisation are evident in the management practices of schools within that system which are pursuing world class capacity with apparent success. Based on the outcomes of the research several significant refinements to the Senge model are proposed for use in education settings. The paper also concludes by linking the concept of learning organisation to the emerging notion of knowledge management. It is further suggested that the re-invention of middle management may be necessary if the quest for world class schools is to be energised.