Pregnant teacher

[Pud2]

Am I right in thinking that, if a pregnant teacher chooses to work as long as she can (ie as close to the birth), then she would be expected to carry on with her normal duties unless particular adjustments have to be made for medical reasons?

[AThousandTears]

I worked as long as I could (38 weeks). Not sure of the legalities but my school are lovely and took me off playground duty towards the end, insisted I sat down to teach, put cushions on the uncomfortable chairs for assembly and many other nice touches. It's important to look after pregnant women.

I'm sure someone else will be along soon to give you the actual answer!

[Pud2]

Sounds like you have a lovely staff! I agree those things are much appreciated but I was thinking more along the lines of a class teacher saying she wants to come out of class for the last few weeks.

[Maidupmum]

I'm a HT. You don't get to choose to come out of class but a risk assessment should be done that is clear about what you can/can't do. It may include having another adult in the room with you or making you exempt from playground duty.

[Sleeperandthespindle]

I didn't choose to go out of class, but as I was working with pupils who could easily (and did frequently) throw chairs and tables across the room, it was agreed that I should do a few weeks of non-class based work to prepare for my replacement.

[Minispringroll]

I've got a risk assessment in place... It means that if I start feeling "too big" for things, such as PE, someone else will take that (however, I can change my timetable around, since I'm in primary, so putting PE in my PPA slot isn't that hard). It also means that there are certain areas I won't be asked to do playground duty in.
Generally, schools will have things in place to help and support pregnant teachers and that tends to kick in as soon as they let SLT know of the pregnancy. It's there for the protection of mother and baby.

[Redlocks28]

Nope. I waddled around doing normal duties until the bitter end three times. It pissed me no end that 10 years later a particularly stroppy teacher got pregnant and got taken off playground duty at 16 weeks as her feet hurt.

My feet/back/hips/legs hurt and I had spd but the head wouldn't take me off playground duty-was still doing it at 38 weeks!

[Haggisfish]

I had a risk assess as well-got taken off some duties where I was likely to be bumped. Got put onto a part time timetable towards end because gp wrote me a fit to work only if.. Note.

[teacher54321]

Nope. Did all duties (including 10.30pm finishing one night a week) until I got signed off sick with pre eclampsia at 35 weeks.

[Noodledoodledoo]

I am expected to do full duties till I leave. With pregnancy 1 my outside duty was swapped to inside as I was in an area used for football so higher risk of being hit/more students so more likely hood of trouble occurring, was moved to a corridor one. This time no change but have been told to ask if I need to as it's in a busier but inside area.

Tend to get students to come and get help rather than me go to them due to my room layout - fixed tables in rows so not much room for bump!

No additional classroom support!

Pregnancy 1 all my team wouldn't let me touch a bag of books to carry to the car this time (same people) no one blinks!

[SweepTheHalls]

I did get off playground duty from 32 weeks, but other than that kept going to the bitter end!

[Littlefish]

I kept going until 35 weeks. I was deputy head and continued taking on extra playground duties etc. if other members of staff were off.

[veneeroftheweek]

I got taken off playground duty and swapped with another teacher so they did my PE lessons and I took their class. Otherwise taught up to 39 weeks.