Pregnancy UPS dilemma

[babyinthacorner]

Hi all, just looking for a bit of advice - have just found out I'm pg after several months of trying, but I'm in a bit of a predicament now. Please bear with this.

I recently found out I'll be teaching Reception from September - something I've wanted to do for years. And now I'm due early December so that's not going to be a great start for a reception class, is it? So my first thought was to tell Headteacher ASAP so they have time to think what to do.

Was also going to go for a move to the upper pay scale, but now don't know whether that's too cheeky? Have been on M6 for a couple of years because I had a huge crisis of confidence a few years back and haven't really thought I deserve it to be honest. I do work bloody hard though and took on a really difficult class this year because they couldn't find a permanent teacher - essentially moving out of a role I was supposed to be doing to do them a massive favour. So I'm just starting to feel I could justify it.

I just don't know whether to tell them about pregnancy first to give them a chance to jig things around for Autumn term or whether to keep quiet and try to get UPS first.

The other problem is that our Head has just left, so we have an interim for 2 terms. So I don't know how they'll react. I'd worked with the old head for years so kind of knew where I'd stand - they'd probably have been supportive.

Sorry this was long - any advice gratefully received!

[Juniper4004]

My thoughts:

1. I wouldn't take the reception job. It doesn't seem fair on the children to have the change of teacher after only a month or two. I think a teacher who can see the year through is better, especially in reception. It might also irritate the parents, and although it's obviously your right to do, if you're aiming for slt when you come back from maternity leave then it might be best to have the parents behind you, rather than already put off you.
   
   
2. if you can move onto UPS before you're 26 weeks, you'll get your maternity pay at that rate. I think threshold is normally decided in September, so it might not work out anyway.
   
   
3. do you want to be on UPS when you return from maternity leave? I was on M6 briefly before I had my first child. I haven't tried to go through threshold as I don't want the responsibilities that go along with it. I want to go home at 4pm and have time with my children in the evenings.
   
   
4. you might feel very differently about the job once your baby is born. I did. Teaching was my life before. Now it's just something I do (my eldest is 2, incidentally. I may get the passion for it back when she's a bit older!)
   
   
5. congratulations on your baby

[babyinthacorner]

This is really helpful Juniper, thank you!
I'll be 26 weeks the first week of September so that may be decided for me then.
This will be baby #2 and I'll be asking to go back part time if possible after mat leave this time. I went back full time after #1 which was the biggest mistake I ever made, and this is part of the reason why I want UPS - the higher wage would ease the pressure on my DH a bit. Thanks again!

[Maidupmum]

It wasn't your biggest mistake. If you'd gone back part time you'd now be looking at a mat leave with half of half pay - trust me... that's worse! You can go back part time after this without the financial impact

[Noodledoodledoo]

I applied for UPS whilst on mat leave. No concerns made at all. I had baby in Sept was approved in Oct took paperwork in when baby was 14 days old due to communication issues I nearly missed the deadline! Agree re class allocation though. If you discuss it now it shows your consideration for the children over and above what you would love to teach. Good impression for UPS!

[Noodledoodledoo]

Oh and my mat pay reflected my ups increase rightly or wrongly.

[babyinthacorner]

Good points maid & noodle - thank you! I'm going to tell my assistant head first I think - she was an NQT with me and the only member of SLT who have been at the school for more than two terms now!
My only worry now is what they're going to do - last time I was pg I went on may leave at end of September so they took me out of class and had me doing admin-type stuff until I went. This time I prob won't go til after half term so that'll be quite a long time to pay for both my maternity replacement and me. My DH gets annoyed that I worry about these things, but it's a tiny school and budget is tight. Plus I've been there 10 years and I love it.