"When I was thinking about the type of school wanted to work in, it was important to go to a school with a good community spirit. While Hazelwick is a big school, the sense of community is here throughout. The welcome I received from my interview, induction day and initial days at Hazelwick was fantastic. The department has given a lot of support, sharing resources and debriefing lessons with me.

The support the school offers has been superb. Our professional tutor has created a fantastic program which creates discussion and reflection in each session. My own mentor has been incredibly supportive and shared a wealth of knowledge with me. Both tutor and mentor have supported me in trying out different teaching practises in my lessons.  I have also been encouraged to use skills from my previous jobs and run a training session at an inset day which I really enjoyed."

"I have really enjoyed my time at Hazelwick so far. The school’s excellent reputation and strong sense of community initially attracted me, and as an ECT, I’ve felt fully supported throughout my induction. Being a form tutor has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to build meaningful connections with students.

Since joining, I’ve made great progress thanks to the fantastic mentorship I’ve received. My mentor’s feedback has been essential in helping me refine my teaching practice and grow in confidence. The support from colleagues has also been invaluable in guiding me through the challenges of my early career.

Hazelwick provides an incredibly supportive environment for ECTs, with plenty of opportunities for professional development. It’s a great place to build a career, and I look forward to continuing to grow and contribute here."

"I joined Hazelwick as an ECT in July 2024 as a teacher of Computer Science and Information Technology. I always wanted to be part of a school that has a sense of community. I could sense that on the first day I arrived here. Since I have started, I feel like a part of a big family, which made the transition to teaching here smooth.

The Computer Science department welcomed me like their own. Not only have they provided me with the necessary support and guidance, but they have also allowed me to implement my own teaching strategies and identify my style of teaching. The department feels like a safe space to discuss the good and not so good, but also to gain tidbits of advice and strategies that I could use in my lessons. I feel I have progressed on an exponential level since my PGCE days.  The support I have received from my colleagues and head of department has been spectacular.

My mentor, who is also my head of department, is the most patient, supportive, and kind person. He has given me the space to have a chat with him and act like a sounding board which has been immensely helpful. The ECT programme here at Hazelwick was one of the aspects that attracted me to Hazelwick. The Professional Tutor has vast experience in coaching new teachers - I look forward to the sessions, as they are engaging and insightful.

Hazelwick is an institution that feels like a mentally safe space to work at; it provides the opportunity to work hard, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. The infrastructure in this place really benefits the employees working here, allowing them to be the best version of themselves.

Finally, the choice of joining Hazelwick remains one of the best decisions in my career so far."

"I have been working at Hazelwick School for the last two academic years as a PE and Food teacher.  I joined the school as a trainee teacher to complete my final placement on my PE QTS degree.  During my time on placement at Hazelwick, I have had incredible support from my department, my mentor, the Professional Tutor and members of the SLT.  The school made me feel welcome and able to learn with no judgement as well as allowing me to express myself as a teacher, which has shaped who I am today. 

The school decided to interview me to stay on as a teacher as they believed in me and my ability to teach the students at Hazelwick School.  Being interviewed meant a great deal to me, as I believed from the start of my placement that Hazelwick was the sort of school I pictured myself working at for many years.  I was lucky enough for it to become true when I was hired as a full time teacher.

I have to complete two years of additional ECT training, but I know that I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.  I have my own form group who are now in Year 8, I have two Sport Studies groups, and I have a GCSE Food group.  Without the trust and faith of my colleagues, I wouldn’t be where I am today educating the younger generation and helping them to create a future for themselves.

I am now in my final ECT year and by next year I will have picked up many of the qualities the school has impressed on me.  With benefits of twilight insets, staff wellbeing week and many staff trips, the school is somewhere great to work.  The school has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted and there is a reason for that; it really is Outstanding!  Without the staff, an Outstanding wouldn’t be possible."

"Working at Hazelwick fills me with an enormous sense of pride. During both my PGCE training year and my first ECT year (that were both heavily impacted by COVID) I did not necessarily get the support or guidance I felt that I needed in order to be the teacher I knew I could be. However, from the very start of my time at Hazelwick in my second ECT year, I found I was able to really flourish in my career as a teacher; having received excellent support from a dedicated mentor, being able to access progression in my career and above all of this, feeling as though I had found a school and workplace in which I belonged.

Whilst starting my first ECT year was daunting and observations felt scary, I have never found that this is the case at Hazelwick. When being observed by colleagues in my department or by members of SLT, I am always certain that I will receive constructive feedback that will not only make me feel confident in my strengths as a practitioner but also will help me to understand any areas that I could develop further. I have found this to be incredibly motivating and it has given me the confidence to pursue opportunities to further develop my career in the school such as securing the position of Head of House. This role has allowed me to get immersed in the school community and feel really connected to daily lives of our amazing students.

Teaching is a difficult profession but having worked at Hazelwick School for a number of years now, I can say that I feel safe, secure and fulfilled. For anyone looking for a school that is supportive, welcoming and rewarding, Hazelwick is the best place to be."