As headmaster of Thetford Grammar School, Gareth Price’s bag needs to have room not only for those essential items to keep him organised through the day, but also for the piles of marking and all those books.

“It is a soft leather briefcase and was a leaving gift from the staff at my last school,” he says. “I try not to have it crammed full of things, but I still do some teaching so when I go home on a Friday my bag tends to be full of books and paperwork. I only use a bag for work though, I tend to just put everything I need in my pockets at the weekends, probably like most men.”

Gareth started at the school 10 years ago after working on the Isle of Wight. He and his wife Gillian now live in Northwold and he says it was his three grown-up sons who persuaded him to embrace new technology.

“I was reluctant to switch to a digital camera, now I wouldn’t be without it, the same as my MP3 player. However, although I know I could use a Blackberry or something to organise my diary, I do still like to write things down.”

Panasonic Lumix, bridge camera, around £200.

I drive to work through the forest every day and it is stunning, I just love the big skies. Sometimes I pull over on the way to school if I see something interesting. Just recently, the light was fantastic and the early morning sun was shining on a pile of beech trees, it looked beautiful.

MP3 player

My great love is music. I plan the piano and violin and sing, and I love listening to music. So I am never without my MP3 player. In the old days it would have been my cassette Walkman, then a portable CD player. I love everything from Renaissance music to Snow Patrol.

Day to a page Academic Diary, from £5.99.

Working at a school, every day is different. Things constantly come up or change at the last minute, whether that is a meeting, an issue with a pupil, or a parent who want to see you sometimes urgently, so I need to know exactly what I have on my diary.

Italix pen, from £40.

I always use a fountain pen with a bottle of ink. Although I have a laptop, I still like to give handwritten thank you notes or letters to staff and parents. I use an Italix pen which has an italic style nib, it seems to make my handwriting - which is not great - just a little bit neater.

Storm Bird by Conn Iggulden, published by Michael Joseph, £18.99.

I have always read voraciously. I particularly love historical fiction and am currently reading Storm Bird by Cohn Iggulden, about the War of the Roses.

And a little something else . . .

Dog biscuits

My two golden retrievers, Finlay and Izzy, are such an important part of my life. There are always so loyal and when I get home they always come bounding to me so I like to have a biscuit at hand.