Sarah Allington
Scientist, educator and Forest School practitioner — bridging the rigour of the laboratory with the freedom of learning outdoors.
A career rooted in curiosity and grown in the open air
Sarah’s journey began in the laboratory. After completing a BSc in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the University of East Anglia, she went on to earn a PhD in Molecular Biology at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich — spending her early career immersed in the precise, evidence-led world of the life sciences, designing experiments, analysing data, and learning to ask the kind of careful questions that good science depends on.
But it was the act of sharing that knowledge that drew her in most. Sarah trained as a teacher, gaining her PGCE and Qualified Teacher Status, and brought the discipline of research into the classroom — discovering a genuine talent for making complex ideas feel accessible, exciting and within reach for every learner.
Over time, she found that the most powerful learning often happened beyond four walls. As a qualified Level 3 Forest School Practitioner, Sarah helps children and adults alike rediscover confidence, resilience and wonder through hands-on, child-led learning in natural settings — underpinned by specialist training in supporting challenging behaviour outdoors. In 2024 she trained to become a trainer under FSA-Endorsed trainer Charlotte Atkinson, going on to qualify as an FSA-Endorsed trainer herself in December 2025.
Today she weaves these strands together — the scientist’s eye for detail, the teacher’s care for progress, and the Forest School practitioner’s belief in learning through experience — into an approach that is warm, evidence-informed and deeply human.
“Every learner arrives with their own roots. My job is to give them the light and space to grow.”
An approach built on trust, not judgement
01Inclusivity first
Every child and adult deserves to feel they belong. Sarah designs learning that adapts to the person in front of her — meeting different needs, abilities and backgrounds without exception.
02Non-judgemental
There are no wrong starting points. Sarah creates calm, accepting spaces where people feel safe to try, to struggle, and to grow at their own pace.
03Learning by doing
Whether it’s a microscope or a muddy woodland floor, real understanding comes through curiosity, exploration and direct experience of the world.
Credentials that span the lab, the classroom and the wild
Academic & Teaching
Forest School & Outdoor Learning
Learning that nurtures the whole person
Whether in the classroom, the woodland, or training fellow educators, Sarah is passionate about creating spaces where everyone is free to learn, explore and thrive.