The winner of the Royal Society of Biology’s School Biology Teacher of the Year Award 2025 has been announced.

The Award recognises the UK’s leading secondary school biology teachers who are at the forefront of paving the way in teaching excellence, acknowledging their vital role in educating and inspiring the next generation of biologists.

Winner

This year’s winner is Sarah Girasoli from St Luke’s High School in Barrhead, Glasgow.

Sarah inspires young people with her enthusiasm and passion for science, the environment, and outdoor learning. She leads with a positive, nurturing ethos in her classroom, fostering trust and respect with young people through her absolute commitment to meeting their needs, with creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

On receiving the news, Sarah said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won this outstanding award. It was an honour to be shortlisted alongside inspiring teachers such as Louise and Samantha. This award would not be possible without the opportunities I have had at St Luke’s to develop my pedagogy since I started my teaching journey here in 2013. I’m so inspired everyday by my wonderful colleagues but perhaps most importantly the young people I have the privilege of welcoming into my classroom every day.”

Sarah has played a key role in shaping the school’s approach to Learning for Sustainability through growing a rewilding area on the school grounds promoting biodiversity and outdoor learning. She has also led professional development activities for colleagues across various primary schools from other local authority groups.

A word from the Award’s Chair

Professor Mark Winterbottom CBiol FRSB, Professor of Education at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the Award’s judging panel, said: “Sarah Girasoli embodies the qualities of an outstanding and inspirational teacher. She is a dynamic, energetic, and enthusiastic teacher with a real passion for biology, who employs creative and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Her relationship with her students is positive and nurturing, a position which is built from her absolute commitment to their learning and getting the best out of them.

Her influence on teaching and learning beyond her own classroom shows equal commitment, playing a lead role in assimilating a visible learning approach across subject departments, valuing her colleagues’ subject-based professional expertise in the process to ensure a positive impact on students’ learning. Her endeavours to support colleagues’ outdoor learning approaches highlighted her passion for environmental education as Learning for Sustainability principal teacher. [Sarah] absolutely deserves the award of [School] Biology Teacher of the Year.”

Award supporters

Sarah Girasoli receives a £500 prize and a further £500 of school resources, both of which are provided by Oxford University Press, and the award will be presented to the recipient at the RSB’s Biology Week Networking and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 15 October 2025 at the House of Commons, London.

The Royal Society of Biology wishes to thank Oxford University Press for its continued support of this award and offering a prize to the winner. 

Judging panel

The School Biology Teacher of the Year Award’s judges for 2025 were:

• Professor Mark Winterbottom CBiol FRSB, University of Cambridge (Chair of the School Biology Teacher of the Year Award judging panel)
• Dr Melissa Glackin MRSB, King’s College London
• Charles Gill MRSB, teacher and School Biology Teacher of the Year Award winner 2022
• Gemma Singleton, Deputy Headteacher and School Biology Teacher of the Year Award winner 2019

About St Luke’s High School

St Luke's High School is a Catholic school in East Renfrewshire, Greater Glasgow. It aims to provide a happy and caring learning environment in which all pupils are enabled to reach their full potential, irrespective of ability, gender, religious or social background; assist pupils to take courses which are appropriate to their interests and abilities and which take into account their further or higher educational opportunities and employment prospects; provide pupils with on-going Pastoral, Vocational, and Curricular support throughout their programme of study; and to promote the raising of attainment in all aspects of school life and development.