The Pit Pony Podcast - Life After Teaching
Sharon Cawley and Sarah Dunwood talk to former teachers about exiting from the classroom and thriving.
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Episodes
45 episodes
045 - Pit Pony Ilana King - Classroom to Educational Consultant
In this episode, we’re joined by the unstoppable Ilana King - educational consultant, entrance exam specialist, home educator, and all-round powerhouse.Ilana’s journey is far from typical. After just two years in the classroom, she knew ...
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Season 1
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Episode 45
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1:09:40
044 - Pit Pony Pete Scholes - Classroom to Driving Instructor & Author
This week, we’re joined by the brilliant and unassuming Peter Scholes – a man who gave 21 years to the classroom before stepping away when shifting leadership turned a once-thriving school culture into something unrecognisable.In this he...
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Season 1
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Episode 44
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43:57
043 - Pit Pony Rob Newlands - Classroom to Financial Planner - Part 2
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Rob Newlands takes us through the devastating fallout of his time in headship - and the turning point that changed everything.After months of isolation, impossible expectations, and systemic failu...
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Season 1
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Episode 43
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1:29:35
042 - Pit Pony Rob Newlands - Classroom to Financial Planner - Part 1
In the first of this two-part special, we meet Rob Newlands, a former headteacher who climbed the leadership ladder quickly - only to face a stark and painful reality at the top.At just 30 years old, Rob stepped into a headship in Cornwa...
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Season 1
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Episode 42
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51:54
041 - Pit Pony Kitty White - Classroom to Holiday Cottages Business Manager
Loving the Pit Pony Podcast?Buy Us a Coffee ☕️Kitty White never imagined she’d leave teaching - she was in it for life. But after years of battling anxiety, ...
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Season 1
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Episode 41
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55:49
040 - Pit Pony Rachael Daniel - Classroom to Development Officer
What happens when a dedicated teacher realises that the career she once loved is no longer the right fit? In this episode, we sit down with Rachael Daniel, who made the bold decision to step away from teaching and carve out a new path.
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Season 1
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Episode 40
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1:10:51
039 - Pit Pony Grant Decker - Classroom to Record Store Owner
This week on The Pit Pony Podcast, we sit down with the incredible Grant Decker – a former teacher whose love for music led him to open his own record shop. After years in the classroom, supporting students with complex needs, Grant re...
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Season 1
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Episode 39
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1:10:40
038 - Pit Pony Paul Lennon - Classroom to NHS Health Adviser
In this episode of the Pit Pony Podcast, we sit down with Paul Lennon, a former teacher with 28 years of experience in secondary schools across the UK and around the world. Paul started his career as a PE teacher, eventually worki...
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Season 1
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Episode 38
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1:25:29
037 - Pit Pony Hollie Jones - Classroom to Neurodivergent Educator - Part 2
In this second part to Hollie Jones’ story, we dive deeper into her legal battle for workplace justice, the emotional toll of discrimination, and the life-changing shift that followed.After an appalling "well-being" call that questioned ...
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Season 1
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Episode 37
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1:34:22
036 - Pit Pony Hollie Jones - Classroom to Neurodivergent Educator - Part 1
In this powerful two-part episode, we sit down with Hollie Jones, a former teacher turned neurodiversity practitioner, whose journey out of the classroom is one of resilience, advocacy, and hard-won justice.Hollie always believed ...
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Season 1
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Episode 36
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1:03:33
035 - Pit Pony Ruth O'Neill - Classroom to SEND Consultant and Tutor
In today's episode of The Pit Pony Podcast, we sit down with Ruth O’Neill, an educator who spent over 20 years in the classroom before stepping into a new role as a SEND consultant and English tutor. Ruth’s journey took her from teachi...
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Season 1
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Episode 35
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1:02:46
034 - Pit Pony Sarah Cowen - Classroom to Head of Domestic Abuse Services
This week’s episode is a powerful one. We sit down with Sarah Cowen, a former drama teacher who never planned to teach—until she fell in love with the profession. But after 18 years, she faced the realisation that her boundaries, well-being, an...
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Season 1
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Episode 34
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1:11:03
033 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 5
Welcome to another Sliding Doors Stories bonus episode, where we celebrate the incredible transformations our guests have experienced since leaving the classroom.In this episode, we hear from:✨ Leanne Herring – from teacher to voi...
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Season 1
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Episode 33
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8:18
032 - Pit Pony Katie Stone - Classroom to Virtual Assistant Agency Owner
Today, we sit down with Katie Stone, a former primary school teacher who left the classroom after facing work-related stress and the pressures of an informal support plan. Katie opens up about the emotional toll of teaching, the challenges of l...
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Season 1
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Episode 32
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1:06:20
031 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 4
We’re back with another special bonus episode of The Pit Pony Podcast - Sliding Doors Stories, Part 4!In this episode, we revisit those powerful moments when our guests reflect on the incredible experiences they’ve had since lea...
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Season 1
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Episode 31
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7:02
030 - Pit Pony Amy MacDonald - From Classroom to Forest School Leader and Curriculum Writer
This week, we welcome Amy MacDonald, a former primary school teacher who transformed her love for teaching outdoors into a fulfilling new career. Amy’s journey is one of resilience, self-discovery, and inspiration, showing us that life a...
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Season 1
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Episode 30
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1:08:05
029 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 3
We’re thrilled to bring you another Sliding Doors Stories bonus episode! This special collection features incredible moments from our guests that truly capture the magic of life after teaching.In this episode, we revisit the inspi...
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Season 1
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Episode 29
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19:37
028 - Pit Pony Mark Thompson - Classroom to TV & Film Chaperone
Mark Thompson is a former computing and business studies teacher with over 18 years of experience in education. After leaving the classroom in 2011, Mark transitioned into a unique and fulfilling career as a tutor and chaper...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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39:43
027 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 2
We’re excited to share the second in our series of brand-new bonus episodes of the Pit Pony Podcast - a heartfelt collection of our guests’ incredible sliding doors moments. These powerful and inspiring stories celebrate the mag...
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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6:13
026 - Pit Pony Leanne Herring - Classroom to Voice Artist and Content Creator - PART 2
In the second part of Leanne Herring’s inspiring story, we delve into her journey beyond the classroom and explore the incredible life she’s built since leaving teaching. From pursuing a master's degree in psycholinguistics to discovering her p...
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Season 1
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Episode 26
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41:53
025 - Pit Pony Leanne Herring - Classroom to Voice Artist and Content Creator - PART 1
In the first part of this fantastic two-part episode, we introduce Leanne Herring, a passionate teacher whose love for education began as a six-year-old teaching her teddies. Spanning a decade-long teaching career across four schools, Leanne’s ...
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Season 1
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Episode 25
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49:35
024 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 1
Sliding Doors Moments: From Chocolate to Celebrancy and Safari Dreams 🎙️Welcome to our first special bonus episode, where we celebrate the incredible "sliding doors" moments from our guests - those life-defining events that remind...
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9:24
023 - Pit Pony Lee Springett - Classroom to Barnardos Project Manager
In todays episode of The Pit Pony Podcast, we sit down with Lee Springett, a former secondary school teacher who made the leap from the classroom into the charity secto...
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Season 1
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Episode 23
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1:08:42
022 - Pit Pony Gareth Isaac - Classroom to Mindfulness Teacher
In this deeply introspective episode of the Pit Pony Podcast, Sharon and Sarah sit down with Gareth Isaac, a former sociology teacher who left the classroom after 4 years - ove...
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Season 1
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Episode 22
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1:03:27
021 - Pit Pony Jane Lloyd - Classroom to Artist
In this final episode of 2024, we welcome Jane Lloyd—a former teacher of 14 years who traded in the classroom for a paintbrush and a new lease on life. Jane’s story is a perfect way to close out the year: a tale of transformation, resilience, a...
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Season 1
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Episode 21
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43:26