The rapid arrival of refugees from Ukraine in 2022 compelled many European municipalities to establish temporary introductory provisions and transit-school arrangements at very short notice. Research on refugee education has moved from a focus on access and enrolment to examine safety, belonging, and educational participation, while leadership perspectives remain underexplored compared to those of teachers (Arar & Orucu, 2025; Aleghfeli et al., 2024). This paper addresses this gap by analysing how school leaders translated an under-specified mandate into local practice under crisis conditions, emphasising their focus on safety and inclusion to foster trust and reassurance among stakeholders. 

The research question examines how Norwegian school leaders translate national expectations into local practices, while acknowledging that contextual factors, such as Norway's educational policies and refugee demographics, influence leadership approaches that may vary across settings. 

The empirical material comprises three semi-structured interviews with school leaders (the principal and department heads), classroom observations, and relevant municipal documents. Methodologically, the study uses thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). The GlobCUREt framework is applied as a sensitising lens to examine how crisis responses may produce delayed and uneven consequences for participation and belonging across phases (Særerot& Torgersen, 2022). Translation theory further supports analysis of how policy intentions became workable routines and priorities at the school level (Røvik, 2019).

The analysis identifies four interconnected themes. The school leaders engaged in rapid translation of an unclear mandate through improvisation and prioritisation. A recurring decision was to prioritise “safety and Norwegian first,” thereby postponing broader curricular ambition (Sæverot & Torgersen, 2022). The school leaders described “leading through presence” as a stabilising strategy: being visible, available, and relationally accessible to pupils and families. While such presence supported trust and predictability, it also risked concentrating responsibility in individuals and blurring professional boundaries, raising sustainability concerns (Arar & Orucu, 2025). The case illustrates the paradox of “inclusion through separation.” The segregated transit arrangement produced immediate benefits, safety and structure, yet leaders increasingly described “bubble” dynamics, limited contact with majority peers, and challenging transitions over time. The school leaders also had to perform “boundary work and a gatekeeper role” in response to massive external goodwill and pressure (volunteers, organisations, media). They had to regulate access and requests, sort and structure offers of help, and sometimes refuse well-intentioned initiatives to protect pupils’ safety, staff capacity, and the school’s core educational mandate. This legitimacy work involved justifying boundaries as necessary and fair to multiple audiences (pupils, staff, parents, and the wider community), highlighting a persistent dilemma between openness/support on the one hand, and work peace, capacity, and equity on the other (Busengdal, 2025). Using GlobCUREt’s emphasis on delayed effects, the analysis highlights how organisational solutions that work in an acute phase may generate social distance and new exclusions in later phases, shaping belonging and participation unevenly (McIntyre & Neuhaus, 2021; Aleghfeli et al., 2024) This paper contributes to refugee education and educational (school) leadership research by focusing on the school leaders’ translation work under crisis conditions and emphasising the importance of explicit, inclusive early priorities and strategic planning to foster shared responsibility and a sense of purpose for sustainable inclusion pathways.

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