There’s a rumour that Cambridgeshire can get a bit nippy in the winter months. It’s said that there’s nothing to stop the wind blowing in from Siberia. Whether that’s true or not, Cambridgeshire definitely has its wild side. When the Romans were roaming the fens, it was a remote and inaccessible region. The tufts of solid ground rising above shallow water provided a mysterious habitat well suited to willo-the-wisps with their dancing lights and the dead hand which would emerge from the water and pull a man to his death. Nice. Cities in Cambridgeshire The county is now characterised by sophisticated cities and market towns. Peterborough is the largest city in the region. It is best known for its gothic Cathedral and rail links on the East Coast Main Line between London and Edinburgh. With a population of around 202,259, Peterborough is one of the UK's fastest growing cities. Travelling from Peterborough by train or by car, you can be in Cambridge in around an hour. Of course, there’s al…

Sarah Catchpole is Head of Leadership Recruitment at Hourglass – it’s a role which utilises a skill set she has been developing throughout her career in education recruitment and as a search consultant. Enticed into recruitment by way of the maritime industry and being surrounded by a family made up of education leaders, it comes as no surprise that Sarah is heading up this important area for Hourglass. Sarah - what does this role mean to you? Hourglass Leadership came about as the result of conversations with long-standing clients. We’ve been working hard, in some cases for years, to find the very best teachers for our client schools. Having really strong teaching talent is crucial, of course, but we know lots of senior leaders who are ready to take their schools and academies to the next level. Having the opportunity to try on different hats during my career has been invaluable. The experience I’ve had in search and selection, in addition to  being entirely immersed in education –…

It’s World Mental Health Awareness week, and this year’s theme is anxiety. Lots of things can lead to feelings of anxiety, including pressures in work and personal life and the whole range of life events. The rising cost of living has also added to daily stress as people worry about not being able to meet their basic needs. It’s easy to feel powerless when anxiety starts to take hold, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are three really simple things you can do to reduce stress: First, at the start of a day, take a moment to think about how the day might go. Make a point of listing the important things that you want to achieve. It’s good to include personal things too, whether it’s a WhatsApp message to a friend, or reaching out to a neighbour you see from time to time. Decide which ‘tasks’ are most important, and list them in the right order. Tick items off as you go through the day and get ready for the boost from the sense of achievement! Second: If you do start to feel anxious…

It seems like no time at all since we launched the first edition of Chapters, and we’re delighted to be back with edition two. For people who spend so much of their time talking to teachers and deep-diving into the issues of the day, it’s exciting to be able to ‘put pen to paper’ and to share our ideas about freshening up with you.  We hope you find it useful.

We're always interested in how we can help ECTs, trainee teachers and their specific requirements. We've put together a set of resources with ECTs in mind. Use the links below to find out more: Success in 2023 Writing the perfect CV Finding the right ECT school Climbing the ECT framework ECT wellbeing Your finances Managing behaviour Whether you're a trainee teacher, someone with more experience, or a school with vacancies to fill, contact Hourglass to see how we can help.