Why Adult Learning Deserves the Spotlight with Barbara Allen of Lingua Forme
One of the things I love most about The Class Business Podcast is hearing the stories behind the businesses we often only see from the outside.
The classes.
The customers.
The growth.
The awards.
But behind every business is a person with a journey, and Barbara Allen’s story is one that beautifully shows the power of learning, confidence and community.
Barbara is the founder of Lingua Forme, where she teaches French to adults in the north east of England. She also supports other language teachers to set up and run their own independent businesses through her licence opportunity, resources and training.
And this year, Lingua Forme is sponsoring the Adult Class Provider of the Year category at The Class Business Awards 2026.
A Love of Languages That Opened Up the World
Barbara’s love of languages started young. She remembers being around 10 or 11, walking into a classroom, seeing French written on the board and realising she understood it.
“I was the only person in the room that knew that,” she shared.
That moment stayed with her.
She went on to study French, Russian and politics at university, before working in France and later travelling through Australia, Hawaii and Los Angeles. Growing up in Wallsend in the north east of England, Barbara described how language gave her the confidence to expand her world.
“It really did open my whole world and it really, really changed my life.”
That sense of possibility has shaped the work she does now.
Building Lingua Forme
Barbara’s route into teaching was not the traditional one. After university and travel, she worked in sales and industry before being offered a role teaching in France, despite having no formal teaching experience at the time.
She had a mentor who supported her, and that experience became a turning point.
When she later returned to the UK and had children, she found herself drawn back to teaching. Lingua Forme was set up around 2010, but Barbara says she went fully into the business from 2018, with Covid becoming another major shift in how the business developed.
Today, her classes are mainly in person, and that is very intentional.
“I really think that you can develop that sense of community with in-person classes,” she said.
For Barbara, adult language learning is not just about grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation. It is about connection, routine and confidence.
The Power of Adult Learner Communities
One of the standout moments in the interview was hearing Barbara talk about the longevity of her learners.
Some have been with her for 14 years.
Her oldest learner is 92.
“I say, you are never too old to learn a language,” Barbara said.
That line captures so much of what makes adult classes powerful. They are not just something people attend for a few weeks and leave behind. When they are done well, they become part of people’s lives.
For Barbara, this has also created a strong business model. Adult learners often stay together as a group, build friendships and keep coming back because they enjoy both the learning and the community.
As she explained, this means her business is not dependent on constantly bringing in new customers. Retention, relationships and community are central to how Lingua Forme works.
Adult learners come to Barbara for all sorts of reasons. Some want to travel with more confidence. Some have homes in France and want to speak to neighbours. Some are returning to something they studied years ago. Others simply want to challenge themselves and enjoy learning something new.
Creating Opportunities for Language Teachers
Alongside her own classes, Barbara has created a licence opportunity for language teachers who want to build their own businesses teaching adults.
She recognised that many language teachers are used to teaching GCSE or A level, where the curriculum is structured and prescribed. Teaching adults can feel more open-ended, which can make it harder to know where to start.
Barbara has taken what she knows works from her own business and turned it into a model that supports other teachers.
The licence opportunity includes:
- Training around teaching adults and understanding how adults learn differently
- A clear business model based on face-to-face adult group classes
- Teaching resources for different levels
- Support with websites, branding and business setup
- Practical guidance to help teachers build sustainable language businesses
It is not just about giving teachers resources. It is about helping them step into a different market with more confidence.
Why Adult Learning Needs Champions
Barbara’s decision to sponsor Adult Class Provider of the Year came from a deep belief that adult classes deserve more recognition.
She spoke passionately about how children’s activities are often well represented, while adult learning can go under the radar.
“I really think that there should be champions out there of adult learning,” she said.
She also reflected on how much public funding for adult learning has disappeared over the years, reducing the number of opportunities available for people to access creative, practical and educational classes.
For Barbara, lifelong learning is not a luxury. It is part of wellbeing.
Whether someone is learning a language, developing a creative skill or joining a class for connection, adult learning gives people a reason to keep stretching themselves, meeting others and building confidence.
That is exactly why the Adult Class Provider of the Year category matters.
Celebrating Adult Class Providers
Barbara Allen is sponsoring Adult Class Provider of the Year at The Class Business Awards 2026.
This category celebrates businesses that are delivering adult classes across areas such as fitness, wellbeing, languages, creativity and life skills. These are the providers creating transformation, building communities and giving adults spaces where they feel supported, challenged and connected.
Barbara’s story is a reminder that learning does not stop at school, and that some of the most meaningful class experiences happen later in life.
Watch the full interview here!
Join us on Saturday 10 October 2026 at the National Conference Centre in Solihull for The Class Business Live, followed by The Class Business Awards & Afterparty.
The Class Business Live runs from 9:00am to 3:00pm, bringing finalists, sponsors, judges and sector leaders together for guest speakers, mastermind discussions and networking. The evening Awards & Afterparty runs from 6:00pm to 12:30am.
