Meet the STEP Team

Ursula Norbert, Non-Executive Trustee

Education Committee Member

Ursula has spent her career serving schools in challenging circumstances in the UK and abroad.   

She has headship experience in multiple settings including a large high-performing Comprehensive school, a Pupil Referral Unit and has set up and opened a school from scratch. In addition, has supported with the closure of one secondary school environment. 

Ursula is passionate about Teaching and Learning and uses a number of Leadership strategies to ensure that no child is left behind. She insists on her colleagues having high expectations of all students in her care. Ursula believes that parental liaison and forging meaningful home-school links are key in supporting schools to move forward and in turn getting the best out of the school community. 

In an advisory capacity, Ursula has supported various schools, Trusts and LAs. She was commissioned to provide intensive support to the Secondary School on the Falkland Islands and in this capacity, she reported directly to parliament. In addition, addressed a 'public meeting' which was witnessed by 2000 people in the auditorium and televised across the islands. 

Ursula originally trained as a Business and Economics Teacher and has an MBA. She is also a member of the most recent cohort of the Confident Executive Leadership Programme.  

Ursula recently took charge of setting up the RACE Charter Mark in a secondary school environment. Her interest in this area is to champion race equality and work with stakeholders to prioritise a culture of inclusivity for all ethnicities. Ursula is very passionate about enabling more people of colour to climb the promotional ladder and supports in removing barriers that could hinder progress. Hence, ensuring when promoted that the right support is in place, especially if appointed to a position that could be seen as a 'Glass Cliff'.