Our Team (so far)

Meet Sarah and Nadine, founders and community leaders of Noughtcross Haus

Sarah (pictured on the left), is a tri-lingual educator with roots in both Germany and France. She has now lived longer in the UK than either of her home countries. In 2021, her family made the move from London to Sheffield, seeking a more balanced life, close to the Peak District.
Sarah originally trained as a Theatre Designer, and successfully worked in the Film and Theatre industry for 10 years. Her journey took a new direction after becoming a mother, and inspired her to retrain as a Montessori educator, and she later added qualifications as a Forest School Leader. Continuously curious about global educational approaches, she also works as a childminder and was recognized as outstanding by Ofsted in June 2024. 
When her son began school, Sarah realized that traditional education wasn’t the path she envisioned for her children. This sparked the idea for Noughtcross Haus, a place where children can take an active role in their education. Here, learning is guided by their individual interests, strengths, and natural curiosity – free from comparison and with a strong emphasis on outdoor activity and connection to nature.

Nadine (pictured on the right) has also German roots but with her strong love for tea, words and walks it seemed inevitable that she settled close to the green hills of England’s Peaks.
Nadine holds a degree in sport science with a focus on media, she has worked in PR in Germany for many years before moving to the UK and switching to play worker, then TA and later HLTA in a primary school here in Sheffield.
After the birth of her first daughter she became a full-time home maker and education facilitator. Being a bilingual family was the igniting spark to her growing passion for an education that looks different from the current mainstream, but is not the only element that keeps the fire burning.
She is a profoundly optimistic yet questioning individual, that has come to understand that communication, trust and curiosity are the foundation of all of us and therefore the bearing pillars of a wholesome education. After reading Free To Learn by Peter Grey, she is excited to build Noughtcross Haus on these pillars as a platform for a thriving community of learners in Sheffield.