Educational institutions are places of affective intensity, and feelings and how they are expressed have significant implications for organising in those settings. However, research into role of affect in organising in schools and colleges has only recently caught the attention of education researchers. Consequently, affect does not have the central place in educational organisational theory it merits. We contend that educational organisational theory will be inappropriately limited if affect is not given a more central place, particularly in relation to organisational dynamics and the effect of affect on organising practices. However, giving it that more central place is challenging because researching affect in schools is highly problematic. In the paper, we explain the problematic nature of researching feelings and consider the nature of emotions. Through that analysis we reveal the conceptual complexity of emotions as an analytic construct, establish the role of feelings in in initiating actions and thereby establishing its link with power in organisational interactions. A central but complex and problematic role for feelings in educational organisational theory and practice is thus established. We go on to argue for an affective paradigm in educational organisational theory and practice, and consider the nature and value of emotion as an analytical construct.