Barbara Hamnett
Started JFS: September 1970

Training before JFS
I got a B.Sc. in Geography and Geology from the University of London and did my PGCE at the University of Warwick. I was looking round in mid July for a job, newly married and not sure where we going to live. I came to Camden. Dr. Conway led me on a tour of the School, finishing in the office and said to his secretary ‘Mrs. Hamnett is here for her travel expenses. She is starting in September.’ No interview, no questions, not even ‘Will you take the job?’ When I got home, my husband said ‘How did it go?’ I remember replying, ‘Well I think I have a job’

Early memories
My first day was pretty memorable. The geography department was made up of three newly qualified teachers. The Head of English came in and said ‘The Head of Geography is ill and won’t be back for a while’. He took us to the stock cupboard and gave us keys and we just got on with it. Trying to find my way around. I stumbled into the morning minyan and saw the boys putting on their Tefillin. I had grown up in a small Cornish town and never seen anything like it in my life. I wondered ‘What have I got myself into?’ Then there was my first Friday – a steaming hot day in September and I had the bottom set, fifth year CSE (the old Certificate of Secondary Education). They had had 10 supply teachers in the previous year and so I think it is fair to say they were pretty unmotivated. I walked in and it looked like a scene from the Bash Street kids, feet up on desks and the Daily Mirror out for a read, but we got through. I started the same day as the late Linda Bayfield and we used to teach 2 boys who were under the impression that their task in life was to test our resolve to become teachers. They were ‘all charm and no work’ and that autumn was hot. I remember them coming into the classroom, soaking wet after a water fight, shirts open, gold medallions hanging down and a little excitable. I sat them down and started some dictation to instil a sense of calm. Mrs Pankhurst, the Senior Mistress (not a job title one would use today), wandered in. The whole class went absolutely silent. She turned and said ‘Can I see you later, Mrs Hamnett? I thought ‘What have I done wrong,now?’ Well, she congratulated me on getting them settled. I’m not sure what OFSTED today would say about the pedagogy but at that time I was just interested in survival!
One day towards the end of my first year, I was walking down the corridor and Dr Conway called over to me. ‘Hook’s leaving, you can do his job’. That’s how I became exams officer. I was too green to question this method of career development. In the early years, one was assigned a tutor group and stayed with them as the students went up the School. I had 2HB and they were great. When they got to the Sixth Form, Alec Colman, who was the Head of the Sixth Form, decided to develop special Sixth Form tutors and that is how I became really involved in helping our students go on to university. The Sixth Form had just moved into its new building and Alec asked me to start special Sixth Form conferences. We held seminars on ‘Race’, ‘The Media’ ‘Football Hooliganism’ and so forth. Later on I became Head of Geography, following with Head of Sixth Form and now Deputy Headteacher.
I was fortunate to get two opportunities to do placements in industry, one with Ove Arup and a second with Marks and Spencer. These were very good experience for understanding what employers are looking for in a reference. I have sat on a CBI working party on the interface between education and employment, various exam boards and the editorial panel of one of the main geography publishers.
In the 1980s I led a number of the Israel study tours. I had a wonderful team of colleagues, people like Nick Calogirou, David Gillman and other young members of staff. We would charge around with the children and then in the evening Alec Colman and the late Janette Blitz would take over when we were exhausted. I was also privileged to lead the 1st trip JFS took to Poland in 1989. I returned on 3 further occasions. These visits had a profound influence on me. The relationships developed with colleagues and students are very special.

Funny moment
Ted Goldberg stands out. His early advice to me as a teacher was, ‘You need three things to be a good teacher – compassion, understanding and ‘The ability to give a good left hook’. Those words of ironically – meant wisdom were my entire in-service training as a probationary teacher.

The thing that most epitomises JFS is the generosity of spirit and sense of humour of the children, not to mention one’s colleagues. I am still moved by the letters, the cards and the gifts I have received. In some ways it is similar to the small Cornish community I grew up in, the sense of continuity, of family feeling and caring.