Should teachers fall pregnant at Times to suit their classes?

[winterplease]

I'm pregnant, I haven't had my scan yet, and so didn't want to tell my workplace until I've had the all clear at the first scan. I've been suffering morning sickness so felt like I needed to tell someone at work, so told my head of department . She keeps saying that I must inform the headteacher right away as I'm teaching GCSE AND A Level classes, and if they knew I was going to have a baby I wouldn't have had that timetable this year. She suggests I tell the head teacher and senior leadership team now so they have as much time as possible to sort my replacement.

This got me thinking, should teachers try and fall pregnant at times to suit the classes they teach? For me this wasn't possible as we had been trying for a while.

Name changed in case my manager is on here and can work out who I am from previous posts!

As you know, you don't necessarily get pregnant to a schedule! You do need to inform your employer because of the potential risk to you and your baby of certain aspects of professional life and they should do a risk assessment to try to keep you safe and well. You should not be discriminated against otherwise. Talk to your union. With good plans and handover, there shouldn't be an issue - it just takes organising. Been there and done it! Congratulations!

I think that would be a massively unrealistic expectation to have of people. Some people try for months or years to get pregnant, it's almost impossible to control conception unless you restrict trying to just during the months that would guarantee you get pregnant at the right time, which could delay getting pregnant by a very long time. At the end of the day teaching is a job just like any other. Those who manage teachers have to be prepared for staff to take sickness, maternity leave, have personal issues which may require them not to be at work for a while etc etc, just the same as any other job.

It's a job, yes an important job but still just a job. They don't own you.
It's unfortunate timing sometimes but that's life.

Congratulations! Tell SL and give them time to make arrangements and also they'll need to put a risk assessment in place.

And don't be apologetic or feel guilty.

No

In one word....no

No. Life just doesn't work that way.

I'm a lecturer, and by chance had DC1 in April, which was pretty much perfect timing for work as I took 9 months and was back in January, which is my teaching semester.

Went for DC 2 and succeeded in conceiving for an April due date - intentionally this time. Both for work reasons and because it was nice to be off over the summer.

But I had a miscarriage, so that won't be happening now. I'm 35 and most certainly won't be waiting just because of work. They will figure out cover somehow.

That's a crazy idea, you don't have that much control over when you conceive. And what a massive intrusion into someone's personal life it would be to dictate when they have children.

Thank you
@avocadoincident I needed to be told that, as have been feeling anxious about telling them after what my manager said. One of the senior leaders popped into the office earlier this week and said 'oh my goodness, today is terrible, I'm managing a shitstorm' and flounced out again. My head of department turned to me and said 'oh good you've told them then?'
I hadn't! But
Clearly that's what she's expecting

Lots of teacher I know attempt to "time" their pregnancy so that baby is born Sept so that they can maximize their parenteral leave. However getting pregnant doesn't always work to a time table.

Of course not however I agree that you need to tell the head ASAP as they need to make plans for your replacement. It’s not fair on the children doing their exams if no adequate cover is put in place early enough.

if they knew I was going to have a baby I wouldn't have had that timetable this year.

Please document this in case her preference for unlawful discrimination starts to manifest in other ways.

‘Teachers children’ ie those born in September do exist. But it’s ludicrous to suggest everyone has that much control (or even should do!)

Your HoD is a twat. Now you know protect yourself.

When I did my A levels our A level maths teacher left to do a different job at the Easter in Upper Sixth. As was her right to do. It wasn’t ideal - not for us nor for the school I suspect - but we all coped and got on with it. (And me and my friends all the the As we were expecting.)

Having a baby is far less easy to organise timing wise than a new job.

Your boss is being a tw#t.

Lots of teacher get pregnant over summer hols (lower stress levels and non exhaustion anyone?!)

As of anyone can request the right time for getting pregnant. It took me over two years and three miscarriages to have my second.

Anyone suggesting it was as easy as selecting the right month to me would probably have been punched.

No.
But I agree with your head of department. You need to tell head teacher for risk assessment. Your pregnancy is confidential if you want it to be.
I also think, that working in a profession like teaching, you need to tell your boss asap so arrangements can be made.
The wider impact of leaving your pupils just before or during their exams should at least cross your mind. I like to think teachers teach because they care, not just for the money!
Leaving them, when they need stability and support is a shit thing to do. Especially if you know about it.

Ridiculous, as if women can schedule in getting pregnant!

You've not even had your scan yet. I'd wait till 12 weeks at least before telling work.

Your Head of Department is being quite ridiculous. Bordering on sexual discrimination to say they would have given you a (presumably lesser?) timetable if they knew you were going to get pregnant.
Very few women are able to schedule pregnancy...if you've struggled fertility that's a particularly insensitive comment.
Good luck with your pregnancy!

Not a teacher but a parent.

It is a job, it is a really important job but it is a job.

Your life is much more important - your HOD is an idiot.

Congratulations!!

Ylvamoon.....it's a JOB.

Yes we care. But funnily enough like all normal humans our family comes before our jobs.

Because many of us find our bosses in SLT giveth not a shit about our wellbeing.

The wider impact of leaving your pupils just before or during their exams should at least cross your mind. I like to think teachers teach because they care, not just for the money!

The OP as a person, her life and family is much more important.

People cannot always or often choose when they conceive, they could easily be 'out' of their preferred dates by four months or so.

Do tell the head though, then arrangements can be made for a supply teacher to fill the gap.

Congratulations btw.

I didn’t know you could PLAN a pregnancy....
I mean yes if you have perfect fertility and fall pregnant always in the first two months of trying, then maybe. But after That?? Are you supposed to put your whole life on hold ‘just in case’?

It’s a job. Yes it MIGHT be harder for the students. But it’s also the responsibility of the school to organise things. They will have about 6 months to do so anyway! (And you will go in ML at about the time they will sit the exams anyway?)

No.

I'm a teacher and have been trying for dc2 for nearly two years. No way am I planning around school. I had an early miscarriage about 1.5 years ago. It was at peak timetable sorting and hiring time, so I did tell my hod who told slt. I regret telling anyone as has to untell them. Last year I had a shit timetable as they assumed I'd be pregnant again so I didn't get any year 13 or 11 classes. This year they've given me some!