Clare Harker is headteacher at St Albert’s Primary School in Glasgow. When her school was subjected to a barrage of racism by online trolls after a visit by then first minister Nicola Sturgeon in September 2022, she and her colleagues decided the best response was not to lie low but to speak out about the fundamental principles they believe in.

Harker, who has been head at St Albert’s for 11 years, talks about why school leaders must gain the trust of the communities they serve, the importance of asking others for help and her conviction that we should only be proud of our education system when it truly embraces everyone.

1. What I wish I’d known when I started teaching is…

That I can’t fix the system - though if I’d known that, I wouldn’t have had so much joy trying. I really believe that there can be an equitable, inclusive and fair system, and if we create that then everything else will fall into place. I can stay awake at night, thinking: “What genius have we missed in the child staring out the window, or the child throwing the chair?”

2. The most important qualities a school leader needs are…

If you consider the sheer number of questions asked and answered, the number of decisions made in any given day, then school leaders need to be confident, agile, creative and compassionate.

You need to know you have the trust of the community you work for - and you need to trust them. So, you must be able to communicate and build relationships, see the best in people and have the ability to motivate and empower.

Leaders must be critical thinkers, especially when it comes to policy and research. Don’t just accept the latest document, the latest research. If it doesn’t include your children or your community in the narrative, then it will need a confident edit for it to work for your school.

Perhaps more importantly than all of the above: a school leader must be able to go home and live a full life.

3. The most important lessons I’ve learned from doing this job are…

That I have had so many advantages because of the colour of my skin, including getting to be a headteacher. I work in a school where most of our families have heritage in Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Lebanon and would be identified as a minority-ethnic group. The level of prejudice they experience every single day is shameful and we are nowhere near equity or inclusion.

I had never considered my own ethnicity before I came to St Albert’s, but now I have. From this I am fully committed to learn, become a strong ally and challenge at all times. For me, it always goes back to: what wonders have we missed by silencing children, for example by using resources and references that do not reflect or include them?

Our parents have told us they were not invited to or able to participate at school. I find it hard to participate in anything that has not considered or included the children and families I work for, including our children who are on an alternative pathway. Hearing their stories of exclusion is heartbreaking and motivating.

We can only be proud of our system when it truly embraces all.

• Related: Support pours in for primary on receiving end of racist abuse
• More from Clare Harker: Anti-racism as a collective responsibility in education
• Also this week: 3 ways to encourage curiosity in the classroom

4. The best change I ever made to my school was…

I made a conscious, strategic decision that the school would no longer quietly hide in a leafy corner in Pollokshields, apologising for its unusual profile. The comments that were made towards us were at best discriminatory; at worst, criminal.

I decided the school would stick its head above the parapet (see tweet below) and be visible, proud and participate in the discourse: education awards, international visits, publishing books, community links, university collaboration. This was a good move, albeit a risky one.

Now, instead of being left out because of colour or faith, we are let in (a bit) and that is a good start. This continues to be part of our mission because we have such a long way to go to be fully included.

#CreatingConscienceLedCommunities pic.twitter.com/uefq863QKJ

— St Albert's Primary (@StAlbertsG41) October 1, 2022

5. If I could change something about Scottish education it would be…

I’m really interested in power and who is calling the shots in education in Scotland and I am gathering thoughts on this for the Excellence in Headship Stretch Programme.

I don’t think there is enough understanding or analysis of where decisions are coming from. I fear that education is judged on short-sighted measurable data - for example, Higher results, which are not necessarily an accurate measure of how schools are performing.

I would take education away from the point-scoring debating chamber and put it in the hands of a cross-party group of politicians, civil servants and educators, who are bound to collaborate for meaningful improvement.

Of course, I’d love to chair the first meeting. Item one: how can we create an equitable, inclusive and fair system? Item two: how can we learn to measure what we value? Item three: what happened to school empowerment?

6. My most memorable moment as a leader was…

The days following the tsunami of racism, Islamophobia and homophobia that we experienced as a school last October. The support, love and offers of help from unexpected places were incredible and we will always be grateful to those who reached out. Our staff are strong and the leadership team are resolute.

I knew that I had the trust of most of the community, so it was easier for me to stand up and say “this is enough, we will not be silenced”. I am also conscious, though, that this is not my story: our families experience racism every day; this was not a one-off. However, the volume, the depth of threats and the reach of Twitter was unexpected.

The Monday after the incident - when we opened the doors to any of our families that wanted to talk - was emotional: love, tea, handholding and staff listening to years of stories, some of them being told for the first time. This was the moment I am most proud of.

7. The worst mistake I ever made was…

We have a group, extending to other schools in the Southside of Glasgow, for parents of children who have additional needs. Over some months they have worked with an artist to produce an infographic called When I Tell You About My Child. It is a powerful piece of work designed to help professionals have better, kinder and more productive conversations with parents.

It is also culturally responsive. When I read it for the first time, I realised that there are many comments I have made that, despite being well meaning, were agony for the parents. I would urge all of you to read it, and in it find your worst mistakes.

We launch on Wednesday 11 October with an event in our school (details on our school Twitter) and hope to find a way to distribute these to all professionals having conversations with parents.

8. My top tip for an aspiring school leader is…

Find the community and school that best represents where you want to be and your own philosophy of education. In this, you can be your authentic self. Do not chase the job for promotion’s sake; take the job that is right for you.

If you do, then you can create the conditions for staff to be their best selves. The mistake some leaders make is forgetting that staff have a range of talents and skills. Unlock those and children will get the very best practice. Staff health and wellbeing, nurture and leadership are key.

Also, don’t lose sight of your place in the unions and how helpful they can be to leaders.

And I think it is important to say don’t be intimidated, whether by colleagues, Twitter, policy, quality assurance. This is a tough job and we all get it right and wrong, sometimes within the same minute. This is a serious business but don’t take yourself too seriously - try and bring humour and joy.

9. When dealing with challenging pupils, my go-to strategy is…

I don’t have one because each child and each situation is different. I use the phrase “consistently inconsistent” and our children learn that we all need different things at different times. We talk about consequences and actions and are trying to set very clear boundaries.

We work as a school on creating an ethos and environment that is inclusive and neurodivergent friendly. This year, we are working with Scottish Attachment in Action on PACE (playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy) in the hope that this helps us in challenging times.

I also ask for help. There are staff who are much more skilled than I am who can take the lead. We form bonds with children who need support with their challenges and can see long-term changes. In crisis, we pull together as a team, and most of the children who are likely to have a challenging incident have a very clear plan.

Unfortunately, relationships with families are important but sometimes these can break down over behaviours of children. These are my saddest times.

10. The best CPD I ever did was…

I’ve had many opportunities to learn that have had a profound impact on me, especially the ones that suit the type of learner I am: restless, loud, easily bored and passionate.

I did a postgrad in inclusion at Glasgow Uni and any time spent with Margaret Sutherland [a professor of high-ability studies and inclusive practice] has stayed with me throughout my career.

The Building Racial Literacy programme from Education Scotland is a course that all educators should participate in. It is constructed to help us all look inside ourselves in a safe space. Mélina Valdelièvre and her team are inspirational and kind.

I have loved all the interactions I have had with Scottish government. They are fascinating and really help me figure out who has the power in education and how it works. I would have loved to work there for a while, maybe I still can - headteacher in residence, perhaps. I think that would be great fun to watch.

Clare Harker shared her thoughts with Tes Scotland editor Henry Hepburn