This study investigates the work of leaders in non-mainstream school settings. These non-mainstream schools, sometimes called flexible learning options (FLOs) or “flexis” are educational settings which offer alternative courses and curricula developed to meet the specific needs of their students such as responding to the impact of trauma in their lives (Stokes & Turnbull, 2017). Flexi schools present challenging environments in which to teach and lead and have difficulty in attracting and retaining quality staff (te Riele, 2014). Using a collaborative yarning methodology (Shay, 2021) and semi structured interviews with leaders, we researched the views of teachers and leaders from across Australia regarding the challenges and opportunities of leading in flexi schools. We found that whilst the wellbeing of young people was front and centre for teachers and leaders, this often meant that teaching and learning was a secondary consideration. Our findings also support the view that, given the diverse range of learners in these schools, retaining the staff who can provide high level literacy and numeracy support is highly challenging, especially in rural and remote settings. We conclude by recommending action that could be taken at a school and system level to support leaders in flexi schools to enhance the teaching and learning environment for young people and their teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]