In this paper, we propose the concept of leading as travelling practices in order to understand how enhanced pedagogical practices catch on in educational sites. Drawing on parallel case studies in Australia, Sweden and Norway, we analyse how leading practices moved within and between settings, transforming the discursive, material and social conditions for teaching and learning. We examine the composition and ecological connections of these leading practices with professional learning and pedagogical practices in schools and pre-schools. We conclude that practice-informed lens can shed new light on the spread of practices, which foster the conditions necessary for transformed pedagogy.