Mrs Barber's love of languages really flourished during a year spent in Italy as part of her Languages degree. Having graduated, she spent two years working as an English teacher for adults in Padua, Italy, before securing a position at an English school in Salamanca, Spain. Having initially planned to work in either adult or primary education, she was surprised to discover how much she loved teaching teenagers: their energy, variety of skills and humour sparked her enthusiasm and led her to train formally as a teacher in the UK. She has never looked back. 

Mrs Barber feels lucky to have worked with so many incredible young people, many of whom continue to stay in touch after NS, despite their varied and busy adult lives. She also loves working with her talented, hardworking and kind colleagues in the Languages Department.



Mrs Barber loves discovering new cities, landscapes and cuisines, and hugely values the wonderful friendships she has formed in different countries. Her time abroad over the years has opened her eyes to other ways of thinking and being, as well as making her more resilient and outgoing. It has also prompted her to learn about historical events from different perspectives and discover a wide range of writers and film makers. She feels that travel, paired with language learning, is good for the soul: not only is it great fun, it is also a powerful way to build empathy and respect for others, while discovering more about oneself.